As telcos evolve from 5G Standalone (SA), 5G Advanced and other iterations of 5G as we move towards 6G, AI-native orchestration will be essential. Certainly this is about efficiency: in 2026 both Vodafone and Verizon have said they aim to be world’s most efficient telco. Beyond that, it is a functional necessity – telcos need networks that self-optimise and self-heal.

McKinsey describes an AI-native telco as one where “AI is viewed as a core competency that powers decision making across all departments and organization layers” and in which “data and AI capabilities are managed as products, built for scalability and reusability.”

While cloud might get considerably less air time, because in theory at least it is in a more mature stage of the cycle, the aims and tech of cloudification have shifted somewhat long before it could be considered done. For example to support on-demand network slicing and as a a pre-requisite for becoming AI-native, as outlined by Telefónica and the NGMN Alliance.

The Briefing explores the various stakeholders’ views of priorities, where we are now, the major stumbling blocks, successes and next steps.