AI's ability to analyse large amounts of related information and find patterns offers advantages that may be hard for humans to match. It can detect faults and anomalies in real-time, send alerts to maintenance teams and enable swift resolution. They can also ensure efficient use of network resources and continuously analyse network performance, identifying issues and optimizing configurations in real-time. Other areas in which AI can have an edge include capacity planning, workforce deployment and scheduling, and risk assessment.

The use of AI can support extra efficient, customer-focused network design and management, resulting in lower costs, improved service delivery, and the ability to adapt to future technological advancements. If reliable, recent data is available, AI-generated designs may outperform human designs due to their ability to process large amounts of information quickly and accurately. However, AI-generated designs have their limitations, and their reliability and accuracy depend on the quality of the data used. If data is incomplete, inaccurate, or outdated, AI-generated designs and advice may be flawed. Human activities such as site surveys and ‘sanity checks’ are often needed to confirm the accuracy of the outcome.