As the Canadian telecommunications sector undergoes technological change, artificial intelligence (AI) could be leveraged to predict and reduce network outages or change the way customer service is provided.
This is at least one of the key messages from Telus CIO Hesham Fahmy, who assures that AI is useful for recognizing data patterns and detecting anomalies.
His comments came during the opening day of the Canadian Telecommunications Summit taking place Monday through Wednesday in Toronto, where topics including AI and industry evolution are discussed.
Mr Fahmy says any debate over the need for greater integration of AI in the sector is over and he predicts adoption will occur at a rapid pace in the coming years.
Increasing the level of transparency around network outages is an ongoing priority for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), with the federal regulator launching a consultation in March with the aim of developing a framework to improve reliability and the resilience of telecommunications networks.
Fahmy adds that another potential application of AI is in customer service, noting that companies such as Telus could rely more on the technology to potentially reduce the time customers wait to speak with a telephone agent.
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