The most recent Thought Leadership Council survey finds that while communications service providers (CSPs) are exploring numerous emerging technologies, most are heavily involved in machine learning.

Denise Culver, Online Research Director

November 7, 2017

2 Min Read
CSPs Embrace Machine Learning & AI

As up and coming technologies make headlines on what seems like an hourly basis, it's easy to fall into the habit of thinking, "I'll believe it when I see it." But when a majority of communication service providers (CSPs) agree on the usefulness and applicability of an emerging technology early on, it's a good bet that technology deserves a second look.

Service providers from a variety of backgrounds had a chance to discuss numerous technologies in the latest report generated from Heavy Reading's Thought Leadership Council (TLC), Emerging Technology Focus Group: CSPs See Big Promise in Machine Learning. Of the 16 CSPs that participated in the report, 80% already are actively exploring ways to apply machine learning, which enables computers to learn automatically without human intervention and to adjust actions accordingly.

This is the third report generated from the Thought Leadership Council (TLC), which is made up of service providers that are actively involved planning and building new networks and services. TLC members participate in a Q&A forum that's anonymous so they can openly discuss the behind-the-scenes realities of what's happening at the service provider level.

More than a third of TLC members already are actively exploring deep learning, in which artificial neural networks imitate the working of the human brain to process data and create patterns for use in decision making. An equal number are also exploring robotics.

TLC members also have a strong interest in artificial intelligence (AI). Almost 70% of participating service providers already are looking at ways to use AI; one provider explains that its teams are working with vendors to add AI as a third-party offering now, with plans to eventually integrate it into existing offerings.

Service providers in the forum also discussed transformation strategies and associated technologies. While TLC members already are showing overwhelming adoption of DevOps models, about 60% said that using microservices is something that either hasn't been decided or hasn't been thoroughly discussed at this point.

The next TLC focus group report will be on B/OSS transformation. Additional TLC reports will cover 5G and Automation. Focus group reports on IoT and SD-WAN are available.

— Denise Culver, Director of Online Research, Heavy Reading

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About the Author(s)

Denise Culver

Online Research Director

Denise manages Heavy Reading's Thought Leadership Council, which uses a focus group approach to glean insights from CSPs on topics ranging from automation, IoT, 5G, B/OSS transformation, SD-WAN and emerging technologies. Additionally, Denise covers the test and measurement industry as an analyst, focusing on how T&M vendors are addressing telco transformation, as well as the impact that technologies such as IoT are having on service provider networks. Denise also continues to oversee development of Light Reading's Pedia projects, including Virtuapedia and Testapedia. Previously, she was a Contributing Analyst with Heavy Reading for seven years, covering a wide range of areas, including mobile, IP transformation and T&M. Her career in technology journalism began in 1996, and she is a past winner of the American Business Media Association's Jesse Neal Award for editorial achievement. She is a graduate of Texas A&M University.

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