LAS VEGAS (Dec 6): The Malaysian telecommunications industry has been urged to accelerate the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) over the next couple of years to enhance and optimise operations, according to Amazon Web Services Inc (AWS).

AWS director of product management for telecommunications/5G and EC2 Edge, Amir Rao, noted that globally, the cloud service provider has observed a rising adoption of AI and machine learning (ML) in the telecommunications industry over the past 18 months.

"We have observed significant use of AI and ML services for radio networks and power optimisation processes among global telecommunications industry players.

"Now, we are witnessing the next phase — the GenAI era. As this unfolds, there is growing discussion about how network operators can monetise their reach, customer base and physical assets. This is where we have been partnering with them," he said in an exclusive interview.

Amir spoke to Bernama on the sidelines of AWS re:Invent 2024, the company’s largest technology conference, which gathered around 60,000 industry players and is taking place from Dec 2 to 6 in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, AWS head of telecommunications for Asia Pacific and Japan, Jay Nagarajan emphasised the need for telecommunications companies to evolve their operations to leverage emerging technologies effectively.

He said that optimising operations, developing new services, and running scalable, cost-effective networks are the key themes driving advancements in the telecom sector.

"When they become more agile in their operations, they also become more efficient, which is crucial for their future development. Our job at AWS is to ensure this journey is as painless and smooth as possible for telcos.

"Our approach is to offer cloud services alongside the benefits provided by our technology partners, including leading network equipment providers," he said.

Addressing Malaysia’s telecommunications landscape, Jay highlighted the challenges the sector has faced in recent years, particularly the need for substantial investments.

"In 2024, we are witnessing the maturity of several developments, including GenAI experimentation over the past few months. This will emerge as a significant theme heading into 2025.

"Telecom operators’ chief executive officers and boards are increasingly focused on deriving more value and outcomes from GenAI. I expect that by 2025, more networks will become cloud-native," he added.

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