AI as a foundational force in shaping India’s telecom and digital future

Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept or a peripheral tool. It has become a foundational subject for managing complexity at scale. As networks expand, systems interlink and expectations rise, AI is emerging as the invisible intelligence holding together the modern digital ecosystem. Nowhere is this transformation more visible than in the telecom sector, where AI is already redefining how networks are planned, deployed, secured, and experienced.

Across the telecom value chain, AI is being actively used in network planning, rollout optimisation, predictive maintenance, operational efficiency and, most recently, in fraud and spam detection. As the industry transitions from 5G to 6G, the role of AI will only deepen. Scale will grow, complexity will multiply, and human-led systems alone will no longer suffice. AI will become the essential enabler that allows telecom networks to operate with speed, precision and resilience.

Beyond efficiency: AI as a value-added horizontal

Yet the true significance of AI lies beyond efficiency gains. As articulated by the Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Indian telecom sector is no longer a vertical but a “value-added horizontal”, and AI is enabling that. By embedding intelligence into platforms, AI allows industries to reduce costs while improving performance. But efficiency and cost reduction, important as they are, cannot be the sole objectives.

If a technology does not add value to the public, it remains just another upgrade. For AI to be meaningful, its impact must be contextualised. Impact, in essence, rests on two pillars: scale and innovation. While much of the world is using AI to optimise systems, India has a unique opportunity to deploy AI to meet its own diverse and deeply localised needs.

India is a nation where language, culture and context can change every few km. This diversity presents both a challenge and an opportunity. AI, if designed with inclusivity in mind, can help bridge these divides. Indigenous AI solutions aligned with local languages, cultural comfort and user behaviour can make technology truly accessible. For instance, as voice-based services increasingly become the preferred mode of interaction, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, AI-powered voice interfaces can play a transformative role in digital inclusion.

Within the telecom sector, AI can significantly improve consumer-facing services, particularly grievance redressal mechanisms and spam and fraud prevention. As AI penetrates deeper into infrastructure and decision-making systems, we are moving towards a future where many operational decisions will be made not by humans, but by AI-driven systems and bots. Consequently, the conversation will shift from whether to use AI, to how AI is governed.

Governance, trust and accountability

Issues such as data ownership, privacy, transparency and accountability are expected to move to the centre stage. These are not optional considerations; they are foundational to building sustainable AI ecosystems. Trust will be the defining factor. Historically, every transformative technology has faced scepticism, and AI is no exception. Without public trust, even the most powerful technologies fail to achieve meaningful impact. Encouragingly, the government has already initiated steps to build this trust through policy frameworks, digital governance initiatives, and safeguards around data protection.

At the same time though, concerns around rising costs, driven by increased AI usage and potential taxation, cannot be ignored. There are also critical risks related to security, data governance, algorithmic bias, explainability and accountability. These challenges demand layered safeguards—ethical, technical and regulatory—so that AI systems evolve as robust highways, not fractured roads requiring constant correction.

The role of policy and regulatory foresight

What does all this mean for the broader ecosystem? First and foremost, policy leadership combined with regulatory foresight is essential. India is already on the right path, particularly with the government’s consultative and principle-based approach, which strikes a careful balance between consumer protection and statecraft. In an era where prescriptive rules quickly become obsolete, adaptive regulatory frameworks offering transparency, agility, security and accountability are the need of the hour.

That said, much of this remains in the realm of discussion. Implementation will require sustained research, deliberation and institutional clarity. Consistency in policy and regulation is equally critical, as it attracts long-term investment and international collaboration, an aspect often underestimated.

Operating in a global digital village, India must also leverage international standards while safeguarding national interests. Harmonised frameworks for data use, AI governance, cybersecurity and data protection will help build trusted systems that can interoperate globally without compromising security or privacy.

Technology alone is not enough. AI demands skilled human capital, people who can design, deploy, audit and govern intelligent systems. Continuous reskilling and upskilling must focus not just on numbers, but on the quality and relevance of talent. Ultimately, AI is not just a technology. It reflects our values, priorities and choices. If guided by foresight, governed with wisdom and deployed with empathy, AI can position India as a global leader and a beacon for responsible innovation.

(The author is Director General, COAI. Views are personal.)