Telecoms turn AI into metered service for businesses

Operators bundle computing power with connectivity to tap enterprise demand.

Telecommunication operators are beginning to sell artificial intelligence (AI) computing power the way they have long sold data and voice services, as they look beyond connectivity to drive business revenue, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. said.

"Business to business (B2B) has become the primary growth engine for global operators," Wang Yongde, president at Huawei's Carrier XtoB Domain, told Asian Telecom at Mobile World Congress Shanghai in June.

He said business-to-business revenue is growing faster than overall revenue for more than 70% of operators worldwide.

More than half of business revenue growth now comes from small and medium enterprises (SME), whilst services beyond basic connectivity are expanding at an annual rate of 14%, Wang said.

More than 65% of telecom operators have launched AI strategies, including China's three biggest carriers, alongside operators such as Deutsche Telekom AG and Orange S.A., he said.

Wang described the model as token-as-a-service, under which operators charge customers for AI computing power based on usage instead of a fixed subscription, much like mobile data or voice services.

He said operators are already packaging enterprise broadband, Wi-Fi, closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems and AI applications into standardised bundles for SMEs.

In Yunnan, China, one operator developed a package for pharmacy chains that combines video storage, remote maintenance, rapid-response support, and centralised equipment management.

Wang said the model is expected to scale to 3,000 stores nationwide, with the approach extending to more than 100,000 convenience stores and restaurant outlets.

Healthcare is another target market. Huawei and telecom operators have developed AI-assisted diagnostic platforms that combine communication networks, computing resources, and clinical applications, allowing remote consultations with response times of less than 200 milliseconds.

In Guangdong, China, Huawei supported an operator's AI-assisted ultrasound system that increased thyroid nodule detection accuracy to more than 95% at primary hospitals, reduced deployment costs by 60%, and increased average revenue per user 15-fold, Wang said.

He said similar deployments are under way in education. An AI-powered classroom programme piloted in a primary school in Guangzhou generates more than $600 in monthly revenue per class, with plans to expand the model to as many as 15,000 schools across the province.

Wang said robotics and connected vehicles would create another growth opportunity for operators, with embodied intelligent robots projected to exceed 3 billion units and connected vehicles surpassing 500 million units by 2030, as both require low-latency communications, computing, and cloud infrastructure.

Huawei is supporting the shift by investing in network, computing, storage, and cybersecurity infrastructure, whilst working with more than 20 telecommunication consulting firms across more than 170 countries and regions to help operators develop enterprise AI services.

"As the B2B opportunity unfolds in the AI era, Huawei remains a steadfast partner to operators," Wang said. "We will continue to innovate in information and communication technology infrastructure, work with partners, and accelerate operators' token-based business transformation."