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Sustainability: The great challenge of telcos in the age of AI

My Tech Plan 3 min read
Sostenibilidad: El gran reto de las telcos en la era de la IA

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has accelerated a silent revolution in telecommunications. It is no longer just about managing data traffic that has multiplied by 25 since 2010; now telcos are called to lead digital sustainability.

The Smarter networks, greener planet report by EY and Liberty Global reveals how the sector can leverage AI to boost its energy efficiency and reduce its ecological footprint.

Sustainability, AI, and telecommunications

Far from being a threat, AI can become the best ally of telcos. Through solutions such as:

  • Dynamic shutdown of networks during off-peak hours.
  • Predictive maintenance.
  • Thermal management in data centers.

Companies like Virgin Media O2 and Comcast have already demonstrated energy savings of up to 40% per byte transmitted.

Network virtualization, the adoption of intelligent software and the use of renewable energies managed by algorithms are key to a green transition without sacrificing quality of service.

Sustainability AI telecommunications

**The exponential rise of mobile traffic **The graph shows the growth of global mobile IP traffic between 2010 and 2020, multiplying by 150 in just one decade. This massive increase responds to the rise of smartphones, the global adoption of 4G/5G networks, and the growing consumption of streaming content, apps, and cloud services. This increase poses an urgent challenge for digital sustainability. More data means greater energy demand. That is why sustainability, AI, and telecommunications are called to work together.

Challenges: The reverse of digitalization

But the story is not so linear. The massive deployment of AI, especially generative AI, multiplies the demand for energy and accelerates the obsolescence of devices.

Consequences:

  • More indirect emissions (Scope 3).
  • Growing problem of e-waste: in 2022, more than 5 billion mobile phones were discarded.

This is where circularity takes center stage: extending the useful life of devices, facilitating their repair, and promoting recycling with the help of AI is one of the great opportunities for the sector.

Towards AI-sustainable governance

Sustainability is not just a technological issue. The report emphasizes the need for governance frameworks that prioritize the environmental impact of AI decisions. This implies:

  • Investment in digital and environmental training.
  • Intersectoral alliances to define green AI standards.
  • Procurement and design policies oriented towards reparability and recycling.

Possible scenarios: where are we heading?

The report raises four possible futures, the most likely being Growth: a massive adoption of AI that allows telcos to improve energy efficiency while enabling a sustainable digital economy.

But it also warns: this scenario is not guaranteed. It requires commitment, investment, and a shared vision of the sector.

At My Tech Plan we believe that knowledge is the first step towards action. We accompany technology companies through content strategies, events, and training adapted to the new digital paradigm.