It’s been almost a decade since I have been working in the telecom industry and it does teach you a lot — about resilience, reinvention, and, most recently, about the pitfalls of unchecked enthusiasm. The past few months have seen AI take center stage in our industry, promising automation, intelligence, and a frictionless future. But something concerning is happening: AI is being pushed into every corner of telecom, often without a clear problem to solve. Instead of innovation, we are witnessing an overcrowding of unnecessary AI features, leading to confusion, inefficiency, and a sense of overwhelm among vendors, clients, and even competitors.
The AI Overload, When More is Less
I agree that AI is powerful, no doubt. It can optimize network performance, enhance customer experience, and drive predictive maintenance. But in the race to be “AI-first,” many companies are integrating AI into products without considering whether it adds real value. The result? Bloated systems with redundant AI features that complicate operations rather than simplify them. On several occasions I have observed that features that can be provided using simple workflows are also AI enabled which adds to my argument here.
Clients are struggling to discern what truly matters versus what is merely marketing fluff. Vendors feel pressured to outdo each other with AI-powered everything, even when traditional, well-optimized systems might do the job more efficiently. Competitors, fearing they will be left behind, join the arms race, further crowding the space with half-baked AI integrations.
AI for AI’s Sake
Somewhere along the way, AI stopped being a tool and became a buzzword. I’ve sat in meetings where executives pitch AI-driven solutions without a solid use case. “We’ll add an AI layer here,” they say, as if sprinkling AI on a product makes it inherently better. The irony? Many of these AI features are rarely used to their full potential, and sometimes, they degrade performance rather than enhance it.
This overuse is creating a paradox: instead of making telecom systems more agile and intelligent, we are overcomplicating them. Engineers and product teams now spend more time managing AI layers than solving real business challenges. Worse, customers end up paying for AI-driven functionalities they neither understand nor need.
Refocusing AI, for Purposeful Innovation
AI should serve a purpose, not a marketing narrative. The real value of AI in telecom lies in solving specific, well-defined problems — whether that’s optimizing bandwidth allocation, automating fault detection, or enhancing customer interactions through personalized insights. If AI does not demonstrably improve efficiency, reliability, or profitability, it doesn’t belong in the system.
As industry professionals, we need to take a step back. Are we integrating AI because it truly benefits our solutions, or because it sounds impressive in a sales pitch? AI should be an enabler, not a distraction. Purpose-driven innovation — not AI for the sake of it — will define the winners of this technological evolution.
In conclusion, the telecom industry is no stranger to hype cycles. We’ve seen it with 5G, cloud, and now AI. But if we’re not careful, AI risks becoming another overpromised, underdelivered revolution.
Let’s not get caught up in the excitement without careful consideration. Instead, amid this AI Gold Rush in Telecom, let’s build AI solutions that are genuinely impactful, sustainable, and, most importantly, NECESSARY—solutions that solve real problems, and drive meaningful innovation rather than just adding complexity. The future of telecom depends on AI that delivers true value, not just hype, ensuring long-term growth, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
At 6D Technologies, we built AARYA, an AI that Thinks, Adapts, and Solves, to deliver real value by enhancing efficiency, optimising networks, and transforming customer experiences in real time.
Author: Shivangi Mohite (Sr. Solutions Consultant/Product Manager)