Accenture: APAC Telecommunication Operator Hampered By AI Adoption Due To Weak Data

Illustration of the telecommunications industry (photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Accenture has just released the latest findings regarding the readiness of the Communication Service Providers (CSP) in Asia Pacific (APAC) in utilizing artificial intelligence (AI).

The report, entitled Cracking the Code on Data Debt, highlights the big challenges faced by telecommunications operators today, namely data debt, a condition when company data is spread, fragmented, and inconsistent.

As a result, data cannot be used optimally to support AI-based strategies. As many as 71% of executives admit the lack of comprehensive visibility towards their networks and portfolios slow down decision making.

In addition, 66% of employees have to spend more time cleaning data than analyzing it. In fact, only 2% of operators already have an integrated data strategy with a completely smooth cross-function data sharing flow.

Another report from Accenture, The Front Runner's Guide to Scaling AI, shows that only 21% of Telecommunications companies in Asia Pacific have managed to get tangible results from their AI investments.

"AI growth and increasing need for cloud-based solutions provide great opportunities for operators to take advantage of customer network strength and trust," said Tore Berg, Managing Director and Lead, Communications, Media and Technology Industry, Accenture in APAC.

According to Berg, more advanced companies generally invest long-term in the core telecommunication process starting from infrastructure updates, construction of AI ready data foundations, to increasing labor skills.

In fact, he added, a small part of industry leaders are also said to have gone further by making deep and consistent investments to make their business inventory.

"A small part of the leaders have moved further by making deep and consistent investments to make their business inventory, opening up new opportunities that support future business expansion," Berg added.