DSP Leaders Industry Vision 2026 Report: Results Panel

Why It Matters

Telcos that successfully blend AI‑driven efficiency with monetisable, sovereign‑grade services will secure competitive advantage and new profit pools in an increasingly data‑centric market.

Key Takeaways

• AI operational efficiency leads telco AI focus, 52% support
• 34% of operators aim to generate new AI‑driven revenue
• Digital sovereign services seen as profitable niche for select markets
• Personalization and AI factories emerge as key monetization pathways
• Voice‑AI and edge inference identified as untapped consumer opportunities

Summary

The panel at MWC26 unpacked the DSP Leaders Industry Vision 2026 report, revealing how telcos are prioritising artificial intelligence. Surveyed council members identified improving operational efficiency as the top AI objective (52%), while a notable 34% aim to create new revenue streams, underscoring a shift from pure cost‑cutting to growth‑oriented AI use cases.

Panelists highlighted concrete use cases: AI‑driven network automation, generative‑AI copilots, and AI factories offering GPU‑as‑a‑service. They stressed that monetisation hinges on customer‑centric offerings—personalised experiences, edge inferencing, and voice‑AI for accessibility—rather than abstract efficiency gains. Real‑world pilots, especially in B2B services, are already translating data processing into revenue‑generating ecosystems.

The discussion turned to digital sovereign services, with 54% of respondents viewing them as a meaningful profit opportunity for certain operators. Speakers debated the definition of "sovereign," ranging from geographic data residency to industry‑specific confidentiality solutions. Consensus emerged that clear, consumable sovereign offerings—such as sovereign cloud, connectivity, and AI inferencing—can command premium pricing if operators can demonstrate control and resilience.

Overall, the panel signalled a maturing AI strategy in telecoms: operators must balance efficiency gains with innovative, customer‑valued services, and carefully define sovereign solutions to capture new, high‑margin revenue streams.

Original Description

Following the recent publication of the DSP Leaders Industry Vision 2026 Report, senior executives from CityFibre, Rakuten Symphony, Telenor and Wind River joined TelecomTV at MWC26 in Barcelona to discuss some of the key findings. Topics include telco AI strategies, the business potential of digital sovereign services, and network security investment levels.

Featuring:

Darrell Jordan-Smith, Chief Revenue Officer, Wind River

Terje Jensen, Head of Global Business Security, Telenor

Geoffrey Hollingworth, CMO, Rakuten Symphony

Neil McRae, CTIO, CityFibre

Filmed March 2026

#telecomtv #dspleaders #windriver #telenor #rakutensymphony #cityfibre