TRAI Showcases How AI Is Turning India’s Telecom Networks Intelligent

Opening the programme, Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI, highlighted the evolution of telecom infrastructure from passive connectivity to intelligent systems.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly becoming the backbone of India’s next-generation telecom infrastructure, and regulators want the ecosystem to be ready. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), in collaboration with the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), today hosted a Pre-Summit Event of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 on the theme “AI in Telecommunication” in New Delhi.

The event brought together telecom service providers, OEMs, startups, researchers, policymakers, and AI practitioners to examine how AI is reshaping telecom networks, customer experience, and regulatory frameworks—well ahead of the main India–AI Impact Summit 2026.

From “Smart Pipes” to Intelligent Networks

Opening the programme, Shri Arvind Kumar, Director General, STPI, highlighted the evolution of telecom infrastructure from passive connectivity to intelligent systems.

“What we once referred to as a simple pipe has now transformed into an intelligent pipe,” he said, emphasising the need for AI-led innovation ecosystems that tightly link startups, academia, and industry.

Shri Atul Kumar Chaudhary, Secretary, TRAI, underlined AI’s growing role in improving quality of service, while stressing the importance of balanced regulatory frameworks that foster innovation without compromising ethics or consumer protection.

AI as a Foundational Capability for Telecom

Delivering the Chief Guest Address, Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI, positioned AI as a core capability—no longer experimental, but operational.

“AI is no longer a futuristic idea for telecom—it is now a foundational capability. From network automation to spam detection, AI is already shaping how telecom services are delivered and experienced at scale,” he said.

He emphasised that future AI deployments must be guided by transparency, accountability, fairness, and trust, aligning with India’s broader vision of digital empowerment.

Real-World Use Cases: Networks That Heal Themselves

Technical sessions explored how AI is driving a shift from reactive to predictive telecom operations, especially across India’s expanding 5G and fibre networks.

Key discussions covered:

• AI-driven predictive maintenance and anomaly detection

• Traffic optimisation and self-healing networks

• Intelligent network slicing and AI-native architectures

• Behavioural analytics for fraud and spam prevention

Industry speakers showcased how AI is improving network reliability, security, regulatory compliance, and cost efficiency at scale.

Responsible AI and Consumer Trust

A dedicated session on Responsible AI in Telecom, chaired by Dr. M. P. Tangirala, Member, TRAI, focused on ethical deployment and consumer-facing applications. Participants discussed:

• AI-powered customer engagement and personalised plans

• Spam call detection and filtering of unsolicited communications

• Safe content curation for telecom-integrated platforms

• Reducing false positives while ensuring data privacy and transparency

The consensus: trust and explainability will be critical as AI becomes embedded in everyday telecom services.

Collaboration Is the Differentiator

Special addresses by leaders from MeitY, COAI, C-DOT, and IIT Gandhinagar reinforced the need for secure AI deployment, indigenous R&D, and skills development to future-proof India’s telecom sector.

The deliberations from this pre-summit event will directly inform discussions at the India–AI Impact Summit 2026, positioning telecom as one of the most advanced real-world adopters of AI in India’s digital economy.

Call to Action for Startups and Innovators

With regulators, operators, and academia aligned, the message is clear: India’s telecom sector is open for AI-first innovation. Startups, AI engineers, network software providers, and researchers now have a rare opportunity to co-create solutions that are scalable, secure, and regulation-ready.

As India builds intelligent digital infrastructure, telecom is emerging as the proving ground for responsible AI at population scale.