AI in telecom must be transparent, accountable, human centric: TRAI Chief A.K. Lahoti

AI in telecom must be transparent, accountable, human centric: TRAI Chief A.K. Lahoti

• AI is now a core part of telecom networks, not just an add-on
• India uses AI to reduce spam; complaints drop to 1 per crore calls/SMS
• TRAI urges trust, transparency, and accountability in AI adoption

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Artificial intelligence is no longer an add-on to telecommunications but a foundational capability shaping how networks are designed, operated and experienced, TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti said on Thursday, underlining that trust must remain at the core of AI-driven transformation.

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit on “Responsible AI in Telecom,” Lahoti said telecom networks are rapidly emerging as the primary carriers of AI, while AI itself is becoming the intelligence layer of telecom infrastructure.

“Telecom networks are not merely data carriers; they are a critical enabling pillar of India’s AI infrastructure,” he said, pointing to India’s nationwide fibre backbone and mobile broadband networks as among the most widely distributed digital infrastructures globally.

With over 1.2 billion telecom subscribers and nearly one billion data users, India operates at a scale where AI-driven automation is increasingly essential rather than optional, Lahoti said.

AI is already being deployed to optimise network performance, predict faults, improve energy efficiency, enhance customer experience, and curb fraud and spam communications. These applications, he noted, demonstrate how AI can improve service quality, resilience and consumer safety when applied responsibly.

Highlighting tangible gains, Lahoti said India’s crackdown on spam calls and messages has led to the disconnection of over 21 lakh numbers. With AI-driven and blockchain-enabled filtering mechanisms, spam complaints have dropped to about one per crore calls and SMS.

However, Lahoti cautioned that AI’s scale in telecom also amplifies its impact. Automated algorithmic decisions can affect millions simultaneously, making trust the “central currency” of AI adoption.

“Efficiency gains cannot come at the cost of transparency, accountability or consumer rights,” he said, stressing that public confidence must remain central given telecom’s status as an essential service.

He pointed to the government’s broader push under the IndiaAI Mission, which advocates a human-centric, safe and accountable approach to AI deployment.

Lahoti said TRAI has aligned its regulatory philosophy accordingly. In July 2023, the regulator issued recommendations on leveraging AI and Big Data in telecom, proposing a risk-based framework that differentiates between low-risk and high-risk use cases.

While low-risk applications may rely on self-regulation, high-risk AI systems — especially those directly affecting consumers — should be subject to stronger obligations around transparency, explainability and human oversight, he said.

In April 2024, TRAI followed this up with recommendations on a Regulatory Sandbox framework, enabling live-network testing of AI-enabled solutions for 5G and future 6G networks within defined safeguards.

As AI-driven telecom operations scale across borders, issues such as interoperability, standards and ethical alignment are becoming global concerns, Lahoti said, adding that India’s experience of deploying AI at population scale offers valuable lessons.

“AI will undoubtedly shape the future of telecommunications. But it is the way we design, govern and deploy AI that will determine whether this future is trusted, inclusive and resilient,” he said, reiterating TRAI’s commitment to balancing innovation with public interest.