电信提供商在人工智能价值链中的战略作用（英）

The Strategic Roleof Telecom ProvidersAcross the AI Value Chain W H I T EP A P E RM A R C H2 0 2 6 Contents Foreword3 Executive summary4 1Industry narrative and the AI opportunity5 2Three strategic pathways for CSPs7 2.1Overview of the three strategic pathways72.2Strategic plays for the modern telco to protect9the core connectivity business2.3Strategic plays for the AI techco to grow through12AI-powered managed services2.4Strategic plays for the national sovereign15champion to activate resilience 3Pathway enablers19 4Prioritization: assessing value and feasibility21 5Conclusion22 A1Value and feasibility assumptions23 Endnotes28 Disclaimer This document is published by theWorld Economic Forum as a contributionto a project, insight area or interaction.The findings, interpretations andconclusions expressed herein are a resultof a collaborative process facilitated andendorsed by the World Economic Forumbut whose results do not necessarilyrepresent the views of the World EconomicForum, nor the entirety of its Members,Partners or other stakeholders. ©2026 World Economic Forum. All rightsreserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced or transmitted in any formor by any means, including photocopyingand recording, or by any informationstorage and retrieval system. Reading guide The World Economic Forum’s AI Transformation ofIndustries initiative seeks to catalyse responsibleindustry transformation across industries andsociety. It advances understanding of artificialintelligence’s (AI) impact on business andsociety while actively accelerating practicalimplementation through leadership convening,ecosystem collaboration and the scaling of real-world solutions. Each paper offers a practical, executive-level viewof what transformation looks like on the ground,drawing on real-world case studies, leadingpractices, emerging data from across industries andfigures of impact achievable in selected contexts.While each paper is standalone, common themesemerge: new operating models, evolving roles ofleadership, human-AI collaboration and the growingimportance of AI governance and orchestration. As AI adoption accelerates, this series aims to equipleaders with the insight, capabilities and decisionframeworks required to build competitive, responsibleand future-ready AI-enabled organizations. This white paper series examines the transformativerole of AI across industries, combining cross-industry analysis with in-depth sectoral andregional perspectives. Cross industry Regional specific Impact on industrial ecosystems Industry or function specific Impact on industries, sectors and functions Foreword Boris MaurerSenior Managing Director;Communications andMedia Industry Global Lead,Accenture Bart ValkhofHead, Communicationsand Technology Industry,World Economic Forum Three years after ChatGPT reshaped the globallandscape, industries are racing to reinventthemselves for an AI-powered future. Being tech-native, telecommunications companies (telcos)are ahead of many other industries in adoptingthe technology across different functions, mainlyto increase efficiencies. Our white paper,ArtificialIntelligence in Telecommunications, launched inearly 2025, describes how AI has become a centralfeature in telecommunications (telecom) operations. The World Economic Forum has again partneredwith Accenture to develop this paper and help theindustry frame these AI opportunities. We haveworked closely with a community of telecomsacross regions, original equipment manufacturers(OEMs) and other ecosystem partners and industryassociations to highlight the various strategic playsand enablers needed to capture them. Our findings are clear: to defend and expand theircore business, telcos must invest in robust, AI-native connectivity. On this foundation, they canlaunch a new generation of AI-powered productsand services – whether fuelled by digital sovereigntyor not. In any case, success demands bold action:transforming technology, reimagining operatingmodels and building future-ready teams. This is just the beginning. Strategic investmentsin artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure andgovernments’ strategies towards digital sovereigntyare propelling telcos towards becoming potentialarchitects of tomorrow’s AI services. Thoughdependent on market dynamics and nationalstrategies across regions, the opportunity for telcosis clear – diversify offerings, capture new growthand redefine the industry’s trajectory. Together with the first paper, this paper ispositioned as a high-level overview of what afuture telco could look like, both in terms ofbusiness models and how it operates. We inviteyou to dive in, challenge assumptions and take theconversation forward among industry leaders. Executive summary AI is transforming connectivity, infrastructureand sovereignty requirements, creating newstrategic opportunities for telecom providers. Telecommunications companies (telcos) stand at astructural inflection point. While e