AI-Powered Network Automation, Autonomous RAN, and the Future of Service Delivery

Why It Matters

AI‑native, intent‑driven RAN automation cuts operational costs and enables new services, giving early adopters a decisive competitive advantage.

Key Takeaways

• Operators adopt in‑house SMO to unify fragmented RAN data.
• AI‑driven anomaly detection and QoE assurance improve slicing performance.
• Open R1 interface expands ecosystem to 90+ vendors, fostering innovation.
• Vendor collaborations accelerate autonomous RAN deployment and reduce time‑to‑market.
• Intent‑driven automation shifts networks from trial to industrial scale.

Summary

The panel examined how AI‑powered network automation and autonomous RAN are reshaping service delivery, with a focus on the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) framework as the backbone for intent‑driven operations. Operators such as Dutch Telecom are building in‑house SMOs to consolidate fragmented RAN management platforms, while Vodafone leverages a vendor‑supplied SMO to industrialize deployments and accelerate AI‑native capabilities. Key insights highlighted the move from isolated configuration tools toward unified data models, enabling use cases like AI‑driven anomaly detection, quality‑of‑experience assurance for dynamic slicing, and cost‑reduction analytics. Participants stressed that data fragmentation and limited observability remain hurdles, but open interfaces like R1 are unlocking a broader ecosystem of over 90 vendors, fostering rapid innovation and faster time‑to‑market. Notable examples included Dutch Telecom’s in‑house SMO delivering faster rollout of new AI functions, Vodafone’s integration of open‑RAN nodes through a standardized SMO, and vendor Gabriel’s description of cross‑vendor R‑app onboarding that streamlines real‑time decision making. Nvidia’s marketing of sovereign AI and Wind River’s edge strategy underscored the industry’s push toward AI‑native, edge‑distributed intelligence. The implications are clear: operators that adopt open, intent‑driven automation will reduce OPEX, improve customer experience, and unlock new revenue streams, while vendors that support interoperable SMO ecosystems will gain a competitive edge in the emerging autonomous network market.

Original Description

As operators and technology leaders pushed the boundaries of automation and autonomy, they explored how AI is increasingly being used to enable next-generation network efficiency, reliability, and service innovation. This dynamic session stepped into the future of connectivity to examine how AI is revolutionizing Open RAN networks.

Moderator: Ruth Brown, Principal Analyst, Mobile Networks, Omdia

Featuring:

Changsoon Choi, VP, NW Intelligence and Innovation, Deutsche Telekom

Gabriel Foglander, Head of Strategic RAN Leadership, Ericsson

Kanika Atri, Senior Director, Telecoms, NVIDIA

Lucia de Miguel, Senior Open RAN Manager, Vodafone

Warren Bayek, Vice President, Intelligent Edge, Wind River

First broadcast: March 2026

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