Artificial Intelligence Applications of
Telecom Operators White Paper
Jun Liao, China Unicom
March 6, 2019
Contents
1 Background
2 Overview of the White Paper
3 AI + Telecom Operators
4 Typical cases of AI in Telecom Operators
5 Discussion and Suggestion for Applying AI to Telecom Operators
1
AI Enters a Stage of Explosive Development
All countries in the world attach great importance to AI and
Explosion of AI (2000-now) issue a series of policies to promote the development of AI.
2016:Google DeepMind developed AlphaGo
• Development Plan of the new generation of
2012:Deep learning algorithm is widely used Artificial Intelligence (2017.7)
2006:Geoffrey Hinton proposed deep • Three-year(2018-2020) Action Plan for the
learning algorithm development of the new generation of Artificial
Intelligence (2017.12)
Development of AI (1980s-late 1990s) • The American AI Initiative （2019.2）
• SUMMARY OF THE 2018 DEPARTMENT OF
1997:Deep Blue developed by IBM won the chess
DEFENSE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
champion STRATEGY (2019.2)
1986:Multilayer neural network and back
• The Age of Artificial Intelligence: Towards a
propagation arithmetic appeared European Strategy for Human-Centric
Machines (2018.3)
Birth of AI (1950s-1980s) • Artificial Intelligence for Europe (2018.4)
1969:IJCAI was established
1956:Dartmouth Conference • Artificial Intelligence Technology Strategy (2017.3)
2
Status and Trends of AI Technology
Algorithm：AI algorithm continuously break through Chips：Computing power continuously improves
Current Status Trends Current Status Trends
• Deep learning drives the • Deep learning • CPU, GPU and FPGA are • Brain-like chips are
speech recognition, machine algorithms continuously the main chips in AI field still at the stage of
vision, NLP to reach the develop at present. laboratory research
level of practicality • Other AI algorithms • ASIC chips for neural and development
• Other scenarios mainly use continue to break network algorithms are
classical machine learning through being launched
Data：Public data sets are continuously enriched Platform：Build AI platform and develop AI Ecology
Current Status Trends Current Status Trends
AI public data sets are • Every industry is • The open source AI • Technology
constantly enriched.AI public building its own AI data framework (TensorFlow, companies build AI
data sets are mainly focus on set Caffe...) has become the platform, develop
the fields: • Building AI data set focus of AI layout for AI capability and
• NLP drives the industrial technology companies build AI ecology
• Speech Recognition development of data
• Machine Vision service
3
Status and Trends of AI Products
Classification Typical Product
Industrial Welding Robot, Spraying Robot Processing Robot, Assembly Robot, Cleaning Robot and
Current Status
Robot Other Industrial Robots
Focus on a specific scenario to
Home Service Robot, Education and Entertainment Service Robot, Old-age and Disabled
Service Robot Service Robot, Personal Transportation Service Robot, Security Monitoring Service Robot provide services for users
Intelligent Robot
AI products’ user experience
Hotel Service Robot, Bank Service Robot, Venue Service Robot, Catering Service Robot
in complex scenarios is not
Special Robot Special Extreme Robots, Rehabilitation Assistant Robots, Agricultural Robots, Underwater
Robots, Military and Police Robots, Electric Power Robots, Petrochemical Robots, Mining good
Robots, Construction Robots, Logistics Robots, Security Robots, Medical Service Robots AI products focus on picture,
and Other Special Robots character and speech fields
Self-Driving Car，Rail Transit System，Unmanned Vessel
Intelligent
Carrier UAV Unmanned helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, multi-rotor aircraft, unmanned airships,
unmanned parafoil aircraft Trends
Intelligent
Terminal
Smartphone, Vehicle-borne Intelligent Terminal，Wearable terminal Intelligent products will
Speech Machine Translation, Machine Reading Comprehension, Question Answering System, Intelligent Search support more and more
Image and Video Image analyzer and video surveillance system
scenarios
Biometric Fingerprint recognition system, face recognition system, iris recognition system, finger vein recognition continuous improvement of
Recognition system, DNA/gait/palmprint/voiceprint and other biometric recognition systems user experience
The products for vertical
VR/AR PC VR, Integrated VR
industry are gradually
Human- Voice interaction
enriched
Computer
Emotional Interaction，Somatosensory Interaction，
Interaction
Brain-computer Interaction 4
Status and Trends of AI industry
Industry scale Industry direction Industry Talents
Current Status: Current Status: Current Status:
By June 2018, the total The application fields of AI There are about 300,000
number of AI enterprises in are mostly for one scenario, talents in the global AI field. At
the world was 4925. In 2017, such as the face recognition, the present, the demand for AI
the global AI investment video surveillance, the speech talents in the market is millions,
and financing scale reached recognition, and so on. the gap of AI talents is huge,
39.5 billion US dollars. and professional and compound
talents are more scarce.
Trends: Trends: Trends:
Statista predicts that the In the future, AI is adaptable The gap of AI talents will be
global AI market will grow to multiple and complex further expanded. The global
at an average annual rate of scenarios with the introduction competition for talents will
50.7% over the next 10 of new AI products like that of become increasingly fierce.
years. the smart home and the
intelligent logistics.
5
Contents
1 Background
2 Overview of the White Paper
3 AI + Telecom Operators
4 Typical cases of AI in Telecom Operators
5 Discussion and Suggestion for Applying AI to Telecom Operators
6
Overview of the White Paper
Artificial Intelligence The impact of AI on telecom operators
Applications of Telecom Introduce the impact of AI on telecom operators’ network,
Operators White Paper customer service and vertical industries.
Typical applications of AI in telecom operators
Introduce the typical applications of AI in 14 telecom
operators’ network, customer service and vertical industries.
Discussions about AI Applications in Telecom Operators
Discuss the applications of AI in telecom operators in
respects of networks, customer services and vertical industries.
Suggestions for Applying AI to Telecom Operators
Offer the suggestions for applying AI to telecom operators in
terms of networks, customer services and vertical industries.
7
Contents
1 Background
2 Overview of the White Paper
3 AI + Telecom Operators
4 Typical cases of AI in Telecom Operators
5 Discussion and Suggestion for Applying AI to Telecom Operators
8
AI + Telecom Operators（1/3）
AI enhances the intellective level of network
AI technologies empowers the network with With the evolution of the next generation
capabilities to analyze, judge and predict based network such as SDN/NFV and 5G, AI also
on massive data, promoting the development of provides training and inference capabilities in
network planning, construction, operation and the infrastructure layer, network and business
optimization. layer, management and orchestration layer.
Current Network Future Network
Planning Construction 1 SDN closed-loop management
Performance Analysis Big Data Analysis 2 Fault detection and self-healing
Deployment Suggestion Intelligent Design
3 Network slicing and beam management
Operation Optimization
Maintenance 4 Cloud data center management
RF Self-Optimization
Root-tracing of Alarm Automatic Correction 5 Edge services management
9
AI + Telecom Operators(2/3)
AI enhances the service level for customers
With the help of AI underlying technologies such as speech recognition, natural language
understanding, telecom operators have considered the customer service and family business
as an important entrance.
Smart Home Customer Service
Voice assistant Call center
Smart speaker Service robot
Set-top box Chatbot
…… ……
10
AI + Telecom Operators(3/3)
AI expands the business areas to many industries
With AI technologies , telecom operators are no longer confined to traditional network
communication services, but expand business areas to multiple vertical industries. It is an
important opportunity to complete the digital transformation.
AI Platform Industrial Applications
Networks Smart cities
＋ Smart retail
Industries Smart government
↓ Smart transportation
Overall management ······
11
Contents
1 Background
2 Overview of the White Paper
3 AI + Telecom Operators
4 Typical cases of AI in Telecom Operators
5 Discussion and Suggestion for Applying AI to Telecom Operators
12
Typical Cases of AI in Telecom Operators-China
China Mobile China Unicom China Telecom
Network architecture “NovoNet” Network architecture “CUBE- Network architecture
ACOS, APOS, AIOps for Net 2.0+ ” “CTNet2025”
network optimization and Awareness & Analysis system Business-driven adaptive
Networks operation intelligent NFV operation and network
Intelligent Quality Inspection maintenance platform Intelligent data center
System Intelligent IPTV set-top box
Smart home platform “Steward Smart speaker “Xiaoyi”
Intelligent watch and earphone of Wo Jia” Smart customers service robot
Voice assistant “Lingxi” Intelligent online customer “Xiaozhi”
Services Interactive robot “Yiwa” service robot “Wobao” Smart customers service cloud
"Smart Blue Sky" air pollution platform
“Super-brain” plan for Xiongan prevention and control platform Smart government platform
smart city “AI+ Teachers' Ability “Ma Shang Ban”
Industries Smart vehicle terminal Development Joint Laboratory ” Smart police product “Zhi Cha”
“Helutong” Cloud platform “Tian Gong” Medical image cloud
AI platform “Jiu Tian” Intelligent network platform AI platform “Deng Ta”
Platform 13
Typical Cases of AI in Telecom Operators-America
AT&T
Disaggregated Network Operating System
(dNOS) SD-WLAN service based on AI system Mist
Threat Intellect platform for network for network faults automatic prediction, self-
security healing and illegal access prevention
Networks Open Networking Automation Platform Network stability surveillance in the fiber
(ONAP) optic broadband service
UAV for cell tower inspections
Smart home product “Digital Life” Smart home automation system
Services AI chatbot for contract center End-to-end service Digital Customer
Experience (CX)
Smart city framework Video nodes for smart city
Smart glasses and “Hey Chloe” medical
Industries
platform for people with poor vision
Open source AI platform “Acumos” A portfolio of platforms “Exponent”
Platform Edge computing platform “Akraino Edge
Stack” 14
Typical Cases of AI in Telecom Operators-Europe (1/2)
Centralized Self-Organizing Network (C- Use AI to improve network operations
SON) Research on the self-driving network with self-
Networks Apply AI technology to improve the configuration, self-monitoring and self-
performance of its mobile network in Spain diagnosis function
Smart home service “V-Home” Smart home equipment “Movistar Home”
Intelligent customer service robot Intelligent assistant “Aura”
Services “TOBi”, ”Hani”, and “Vodafone Bot” Notification platform “Smart Notifications”
“Ready City” project Transportation service “Smart Mobility”
Radio Positioning System (RPS) for UAVs Smart retail business
Industries Smart energy business
Smart city business
Fourth Platform
Platform 15
Typical Cases of AI in Telecom Operators-Europe (2/2)
Orange Deutsche Telekom
AI research project to predict demand AI technology in the network optimization,
patterns in 5G networks the fault detection, SDN/NFV, etc.
Introduction of AI technology to the Application “ CONNECT” to find the best
Networks
network optimization, SND/NFV, etc. available Internet connection
Security and anti-fraud solution based on AI in planning for expansion of the fiber-
AI technology optic network
Smart home solution “Homelive” Smart home platform “Qivicon”
Intelligent assistant “Tinka”, “Sophie”
Smart home service “Connected Home ”
Services and ”Vanda”
Intelligent assistant “Djingo” Intelligent assistant “ Magenta”
Smart speaker
Smart agriculture solution for pig farms AI project “ eLIZA”
and wineries AI-supported chatbot for interview
Industries Virtual tour service “ Look Around” Smart city app
AR/VR product “Holotenins” 16
Typical Cases of AI in Telecom Operators-Japan and Korea
AI technology in network Improvement of the RAN T Advanced Next Generation
planning, operation and design by using a network Operational Supporting
Networks maintenance automation service System (TANGO)
Smart robot “OHaNAS” Interactive robot “Pepper” Voice assistant “NUGU”
Service robot “Sota” Internal Question Answering Family housekeeping
Services Smart home service “D Life” System AI-Q intelligent robot “Vyo”
Smart city initiatives The electric concept car called Intelligent building
AI engine for the shelf “NeuV” management service "GiGA
allocation analysis Intelligent robots layout eyes"
Industries In-car virtual assistant “T
Security camera “AI Investment in the smart city, Map×NUGU”
Guardsman” autopilot, intelligent logistics, AI Hotel
etc.
AI platform “Corevo”
Platform 17
Contents
1 Background
2 Overview of the White Paper
3 AI in Telecom Operators
4 Typical cases of AI in Telecom Operators
5 Discussion and Suggestion for Applying AI to Telecom Operators
18
Discussions About Applications of AI in Telecom Operators
Intelligent networks
Intelligence is more and more urgent for the development of network. Following this tendency,
operators conduct researches and cooperation to make networks intelligent.
01. Current network
Telecom operators’ concentrations mainly are the intelligent operation and maintenance, and the
intelligent optimization.
02. Future network
The introduction of AI will probably solve many problems for the future networks like
reconfiguration. The exploration for application of applying AI in the future networks such as
SDN/NFV and 5G is under way.
03. Cooperation ecosystem
Telecom operators also cooperate to take their own advantages, and form numbers of alliances
like O-RAN Aliance or groups to research the intelligent network.
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Discussions About Applications of AI in Telecom Operators
Intelligent services
Telecom operators are actively promoting intelligent services.
01. Smart home
Telecom operators develop and promote smart terminals based on AI technologies since they have
advantages of accessing home customers. The products such as the smart speaker and the smart set-
top box are considered as the entrance of the smart home for telecom operators.
02. Intelligent customer service
Telecom operators use AI technologies such as speech recognition and NLP to develop voice
assistant, achieving the interaction between customers and chatbots. The voice assistant saves a great
deal of human labor costs.
20
Discussions About Applications of AI in Telecom Operators
Intelligent industries
Telecom operators seize their opportunities to expand industrial applications.
01. AI platform
Telecom operators develop platforms to integrate their network capability and AI applications in
order to comprehensively enhance the management ability and the service ability.
02. Vertical industrial applications
Telecom operators set to develop core technologies of AI and extend their business field to
numbers of vertical industries such as transportation, security and retail.
21
Suggestions About the Application of AI to Telecom Operators
1 Build AI Platforms 2 Develop Intelligent Networks
Telecom operators could integrate their data In current networks, AI is used for the network
with computing capabilities and introduce AI planning, design, construction, maintenance,
technologies to build an open platform and and optimization. For future network, AI is used
form an integrated service capability. to cope with the challenge of increasing
network complexity
3 Enhance Service Level 4 Expand Diversified Businesses
To reduce labor costs and improve user Telecom operators should pay attention to
experience, telecom operators could build scenario-driven applications, explore AI
various AI systems such as the intelligent applications in the medical industry, the
customer service system, the smart business financial industry, the retail industry, etc., and
hall and the smart home. launch AI solutions in various fields.
22
THANKS
Institute of China Unicom Network Download
Technology
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Operators.pdf
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