AI in Mobile Networks: How to spot the snake oil from the real deal
AI is changing the way we look at our world and businesses. In an age where spiralling energy prices, climate change and the demand for unlimited, seamless connectivity has us in a constant crisis, we believe AI is our greatest ally.
Integration of AI into networks has shifted from a speculative discussion to a pivotal strategic move. Attend any tech or industry conference this year and AI will be the hot topic.
The challenge lies not in the “if” but in the “how” of AI adoption. For many operators, navigating this path involves overcoming steep learning curves and dealing with age-old dilemmas:
- Do we build this in-house or do we outsource?
- How do we find a budget for this?
- How much will it cost and how much will be saved?
- What’s our ROI? How long will it take to see results?
- How do we get other key stakeholders on board?
- How do we schedule this into our already overwhelming work stack?
Each operator has its own set of complex challenges (to find out more about this, you can watch Senza Fili’s Sparring Partners video) and therefore working with a partner who can hold your hand and work with you providing the heavy stakeholder documentation, cost analysis and technical requirements is often the preferred way of getting results quickly.
Collaborating with an agile, reliable partner that’s specialised in AI tends to be the most sustainable and cost-effective solution in the long run for a whole bunch of reasons:
- Instant Specialist Skills: already well-versed in AI and what’s needed avoids the pain of hiring or skilling up in house.
- Shared Risk: Third-party collaboration means shared responsibility but it also means you are skipping the “trial & error” phase of building a complex intelligent network.
- Fast: Small startups can move quickly and effortlessly to make changes and adapt to changing requirements.
- Best-in-Class Solutions: Leveraging a partner’s extensive portfolio of builds and tests ensures access to well refined solutions without incurring upfront costs.
- Plug-and-Play Integration: Seamless integration minimises disruption, expediting the realisation of AI-driven benefits.
Deciding to choose a partner to work with can become challenging when “AI” has become a buzzword that lots of companies want to cash in on. So how can you be sure to pick the right partner, one that will deliver best-in-class technology and can provide the best value? Now that’s tricky. We asked our Marco Fiore, Research Professor at IMDEA Networks Institute and Co-founder and CTO at Net AI for his thoughts:
“At Net AI, AI isn’t a buzzword but a foundational element ingrained in our ethos. Our CEO, Paul Patras, has over a decade of expertise in AI specifically for the use of telcos, cultivated through years of research at Edinburgh University. I myself am a Research Professor and together we have a proven track record in our research and development, we have also invested in a team of dedicated machine learning engineers and together we have been building commercial solutions for the last 3 years. When it comes to investing in integrating AI-driven tools into your network, here’s a list of things you need to think about
- Reputation Assessment: Get feedback and references for track record and reliability. Suss out if they have specialist credentials and if those creds mean anything.
- Technical Evaluation: Engage your engineering team in evaluating the partner’s technology firsthand.
- Holistic Cost Consideration: Prioritise value over upfront costs, factoring in the potential extra costs of subpar delivery.
‘AI’ is everywhere and many promises are made. Distinguishing reality from exaggeration is vital, working with a reliable partner simplifies and speeds up the adoption process, while establishing a strong basis for future innovation.”
At Net AI, we’re here to break down the ins and outs of AI adoption for operators around the world. With everyone jumping on the AI bandwagon, it’s important to tell real innovation from the hype. Who are the true experts in this AI boom, and how can we build trust in this growing field? Being strong allies is what we’re all about. 🤝
You can check out our testimonials here 😉
