Eurobites: Europe generates some enthusiasm for AI

European businesses are waking up to the potential benefits of artificial intelligence, with 38% of them adopting AI technologies in 2023, according to a survey commissioned by AWS. As Reuters reports, the high profile achieved by "generative" AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, created a corporate appetite for them too. According to  Tanuja Randery, managing director at AWS, the "accelerated uptake" of AI last year will help the EU meet its Digital Decade targets for 2030 which, among other goals, envisions 75% of EU companies using cloud, AI or Big Data technology by the end of the decade as well as a commitment to "gigabit for everyone."

In a bid to drum up sales for its WaveSuite optical transport automation platform, Nokia has teamed up with research firm Analysys Mason to produce a study which, say its backers, shows that such technology enables operators to make up to 81% in cost savings when it comes to network and "service lifecycle" management. The report was based on interviews with global operators who have deployed network operations and service automation processes with WaveSuite.

Finland's Elisa Polystar has secured customer-experience management contract wins at two unnamed European operators, one in Italy and the other in central Europe. For the Italian job, Elisa Polystar wheeled in its IP Transport Network Automation offering which, says the company, helps communications service providers keep real-time information on network state, device configuration and network service topology, and automates the connectivity provisioning across multiple domains in a multivendor network environment.

Eutelsat OneWeb has signed a deal with motorsports organization Extreme E, which sees OneWeb bringing improved connectivity to Extreme E's transport ship, the St. Helena. The ship is used to transport the motor racing teams' Odyssey cars and all related cargo while also acting as a "floating VIP hospitality club." OneWeb's satellites will deliver data rates of up to 200 Mbit/s for Extreme E's race crew, support teams and onboard scientists.

France's Canal+ has put in an offer to buy the remaining shares in South Africa's MultiChoice Group, the African continent's largest TV operator. Canal+ currently holds 31.7% of MultiChoice.