![\"Retail](\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
While I attended in\u00a0participated\u00a0in a panel and podcast at the Connected America Conference, one theme came through loud and clear: the network is no longer just infrastructure,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0becoming an intelligent platform that enables, optimizes, and monetizes AI.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n About a year ago, STL Partners published an article on\u00a0<\/span>How can telcos become more relevant enablers of AI<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>In the article, STL Partners contends that telcos need to begin adjusting their networks ahead of the growth in AI traffic.\u00a0\u00a0The premise is AI traffic will challenge conventional network designs, and if telcos take a \u2018wait and see\u2019 approach, they will deliver poor network experiences and miss the opportunity to capitalize on this growth.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a Senior Business Development Manager at Cisco within the Americas Service Provider organization, I spend my time speaking with executives of service providers on modernizing their broadband infrastructure. After\u00a0nearly three\u00a0decades in the industry, I can confirm the STL Partners premise because the shift\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0seeing now, driven by AI, is one of the most significant yet.\u00a0In my opinion, service\u00a0providers that\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0actively evolving their network to support next-generation technologies like AI,\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0just provide poor network experiences, their networks will be overwhelmed\u00a0not only\u00a0by\u00a0traffic volumes,\u00a0but also\u00a0customer\u00a0performance demands.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0an incremental change.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a fundamental re-architecture of how networks are designed,\u00a0operated, and monetized.\u00a0\u00a0As STL Partners point out in their article, the need to grow edge facilities and prepare for East-West flows, is top of mind for my customers.\u00a0\u00a0As AI is adopted for their internal use and by their clients, the traffic patterns are new and putting strain in unfamiliar areas of their networks.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n AI-enabled networks are forcing a move away from static, manually\u00a0operated\u00a0environments toward intelligent, adaptive systems.<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Predictive, Demand-Aware Design<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Networks are no longer built on assumptions;\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0built on insight. With Cisco\u2019s automation, telemetry, and analytics platforms (such as Cisco\u00a0Crosswork\u00a0and Provider Connectivity Assurance and observability solutions), service providers can:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This transforms network planning from reactive to predictive\u2014reducing waste while improving performance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>2. Autonomous, Proactive Operations<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Traditional networks wait for failure and require human intervention. AI-ready networks prevent failures by recognizing the early indicators and can take preventative actions ahead of time. Cisco integrates\u00a0AI and machine learning into operations through platforms like:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These capabilities enable:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The result: networks that are\u00a0<\/span>self-healing, self-optimizing, and\u00a0continuously\u00a0learning<\/span><\/b>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>3. Software-Driven Scale with Segment Routing<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n AI traffic is fundamentally different<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0bursty, unpredictable, and latency sensitive. And with the rise of agentic AI, it will only intensify. Cisco\u2019s leadership in Segment Routing enables:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This allows providers to scale intelligently, not just massively.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Why This Matters: AI Traffic Changes Everything<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We\u2019ve\u00a0already seen how streaming and gaming reshaped networks.\u00a0AI will do the same, but faster and at greater scale. Unlike traditional traffic, AI workloads:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n That means networks must evolve from\u00a0<\/span>carrying traffic to understanding and adapting to traffic.\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Cisco\u2019s point of view is simple:\u00a0<\/span>AI\u00a0shouldn\u2019t\u00a0just ride on the network; it should be built into it.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This transformation\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0just\u00a0technical,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0economic. Service providers that embrace AI-ready infrastructure unlock entirely new revenue models.\u00a0\u00a0As STL Partners hinted at, telcos and providers that make this adoption in coordination with their customers, will earn the trust of those customers which can build a long-term profitable relationship.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Recently, I spoke with Lumen\u2019s Distinguished Engineer Francis Ferguson on how they are\u00a0<\/span>adapting their network to support AI traffic and use cases<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>In this Beyond the Fiber \u201cVoice of the Customer\u201d podcast, we discussed the technical network changes\u00a0required\u00a0to support AI applications and customer expectations.\u00a0\u00a0The key points that Francis outlined were:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>1. Outage Reduction = Immediate ROI<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u201cIn the customers\u2019 experience, even if you get it right 99% of the time, that is still 100% wrong in the moment they need it\u00a0and\u00a0the network fails.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0\u2013 Francis Ferguson\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Using Cisco\u2019s assurance and observability:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Smarter Capacity Planning<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n With AI-driven insights driven by telemetry, data models, and simplified topology, AI can build a digital twin that removes the guesswork of how to grow the network.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Premium \u201cAI-Ready\u201d Connectivity<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n The market is shifting from speed to experience.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Providers can monetize:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Target customers include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This creates higher-margin tier offerings beyond commoditized bandwidth.<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Edge AI Services<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n Cisco enables distributed architectures that bring\u00a0compute\u00a0closer to the user<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0In the\u00a0<\/span>podcast<\/span>, Francis highlights Lumen\u2019s METRON (metro routed optical networking) and how this design simplifies their network and accelerates scalability for metros. (from 5:15 to 7:00 in the podcast)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Use cases include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Benefits:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Network Slicing & Application-Aware Services<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n With Cisco\u2019s programmable infrastructure:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Shift: AI Is Redefining Network Infrastructure<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Monetizing AI: Turning Network Intelligence into Revenue\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n