The GSMA AI Summit 2024 convened senior leaders and innovators from across the mobile and technology sectors to examine artificial intelligence’s transformative potential and its implications for the industry. Over two days, attendees engaged in a series of sessions, discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, all designed to foster collaboration, address shared challenges, and highlight the pivotal role of the mobile industry in advancing AI innovation.
The opening day of the summit saw representatives from 47 organisations come together to explore how AI is reshaping innovation, driving efficiency, and fostering responsible growth. Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA and Alix Jagueneau, Head of External Affairs, GSMA set the tone for the day with a compelling fireside chat about the industry’s journey from telco to techco, why responsible AI practices are critical, the importance of linguistic inclusivity with LLM technology, and the evolving challenges and opportunities of securing AI systems against sophisticated cyber threats. The day continued with a series of engaging sessions covering cutting-edge insights from across the AI ecosystem, fresh opportunities for AI integration, the importance of responsible AI practices, and safety and security.
A key highlight was the industry response and adoption of the GSMA’s new Responsible AI Maturity Roadmap, which offers actionable guidance and best practices to help operators adopt AI ethically and has to date been adopted by 22 mobile operators.
Other notable discussions from the day included:
- VEON showcasing the remarkable development of Kaz-LLM a 70bn parameter model in under a year, and challenges of low-resource languages, advancing digital inclusivity through collaboration with the Kazakh Government, Local Universities and Barcelona Supercomputing Center
- KT highlighted how telcos are uniquely positioned to transform into techcos by leveraging AI responsibly as a growth engine for sustainable innovation across customer interactions and operational efficiency while unlocking a new realm of products and services and enhancing decision-making capabilities, and
- Virgin Media O2 presenting an exciting solution that they are using to help reduce scams and fraud: an ‘AI Granny’ named Daisy. Daisy is a human-like AI who can answer calls in real time and keeps scammers on the phone for as long as possible, thereby keeping them away from real customers.
On the second day, we brought together leading mobile operators from Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa to participate in closed-door workshops to exchange responsible AI best practices, discuss AI transformation, and address the complexities of regional and global regulation. The workshops also provided an opportunity to highlight practical applications of AI, examine the diversity of AI governance approaches and the importance of aligning innovation with local context, and to explore the opportunities and challenges arising across the mobile industry.
Events such as the GSMA AI Summit play a vital role by providing a forum for dialogue on strategic priorities for the mobile industry. By bringing together global stakeholders with diverse perspectives and expertise, the summit ensures the industry is well-positioned to lead in the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
The importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. Initiatives like the GSMA AI for Impact Taskforce provide ongoing opportunities for industry leaders to work together, share knowledge, and explore key AI trends and strategic opportunities. The discussions and insights from this year’s summit serve as a foundation for driving progress and ensuring the mobile industry remains at the forefront of global technological innovation.
For those interested in learning more or engaging with the GSMA on future initiatives, we encourage you to reach out to us at BetterFutures@gsma.com. Together, we can shape a future where AI delivers transformative, responsible, and inclusive advancements for the mobile industry and beyond.