Trust Key to AI Adoption in Telecom: TRAI Chief

Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), said that trust will be the central currency of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in telecom, given the sector’s scale and direct impact on millions of users. Speaking at the international summit on “Responsible AI in Telecom” in New Delhi, Lahoti stressed that automated decisions made by AI systems can simultaneously affect vast numbers of mobile subscribers.

He cautioned that efficiency gains from AI deployment must not undermine transparency, accountability, or consumer rights. Since telecom is an essential public service, maintaining public confidence is critical to any AI-driven transformation in the sector.

Lahoti noted that the government has adopted a proactive stance through the IndiaAI Mission and recently articulated AI governance guidelines, which emphasize a human-centric, safe, and accountable framework. These principles are particularly relevant in telecom, where AI systems continuously interact with citizens, enterprises, and public institutions.

In July 2023, TRAI issued recommendations on leveraging AI and Big Data in telecom, proposing a risk-based regulatory framework. Under this approach, low-risk applications may follow self-regulation, while high-risk use cases—especially those affecting consumers—require stricter norms on transparency, explainability, and human oversight.

Further strengthening this approach, TRAI introduced recommendations on a regulatory sandbox in April 2024. The sandbox enables live-network testing of AI-powered solutions, including those relevant to 5G and future 6G networks, within defined safeguards—balancing innovation with public interest.

Lahoti also highlighted AI’s growing operational role in telecom. AI is being deployed to optimize networks, predict faults, enhance energy efficiency, improve customer experience, and combat fraud and spam.

Notably, TRAI’s AI- and blockchain-driven crackdown on spam has led to the disconnection of over 21 lakh numbers, with complaints dropping to nearly one per crore calls and SMS—demonstrating the benefits of responsible AI deployment in India’s digital infrastructure.