GSMA unveils AI initiative to unlock $680b revenue

The GSM Association (GSMA) claimed the telecoms sector was taking a leading role in the development of responsible AI with the release of tools it believes will unlock a revenue opportunity estimated at $680 billion over the next 15 to 20 years.

In what it positioned as the first industry-spanning initiative of its kind, the GSMA stated the Responsible AI Maturity Roadmap offers operators the required tools and guidance to appraise their use of the technology.

Axiata Group, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Telstra championed the initiative, with 19 operators already committed to using the roadmap. The GSMA stated the guidance provides ‘greater clarity and a common approach to the responsible use of AI,’ which it expects to give service providers ‘the confidence to commit fully’ to the technology.

GSMA Director-General, Mats Granryd said the integration of AI “must be done responsibly and transparently” to be truly effective. The body said operators worked with consultancy McKinsey to develop the roadmap, which the GSMA stated will act as a unifying force for the industry in terms of using AI “ethically and responsibly.”

The GSMA added the roadmap is the “first time a whole sector has committed to a common approach to AI.” It will help telecoms companies to “assess where they currently stand” and what they need to do to use the technology responsibly, along with providing relevant guidance and measurement tools.

MEANWHILE, the telecoms advocacy body has appointed Vivek Badrinath as the new DG, replacing Granryd, who will step down from the role after Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2025.

Badrinath will take over the role and join the GSMA board on April 1, 2025, and is described by the group as “a respected figure in the global technology community.”

In June 2024, the GSMA announced that Granryd would step down after nine years in the post. He had twice agreed to a contract extension but declined further extensions. He will remain as the DG until the end of March 2025 and then take on a new role of special advisor to the board for the remainder of 2025.

The GSMA is a non-profit industry organization that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide. More than 750 mobile operators are full GSMA members and a further 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem are associate members.

The GSMA board said that Badrinath’s expertise in technology and management has led him to hold significant leadership roles, most recently at Vantage Towers AG where he was the CEO and chairman of the management board.

In 2016, Badrinath was appointed Regional CEO of Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific at Vodafone and before that he held key positions at Orange, culminating in his appointment as Deputy CEO for Innovation, Marketing, and Technology, “where he played a crucial part in driving digital transformation, expanding market reach and improving customer experience,” the industry body said.