In the past decade, Artificial Intelligence has morphed beyond academic researches and taken off in the industry. It has already garnered a track record of solving hard problems that were not possible before in various sectors including healthcare, ecommerce, financial services, etc. From businesses point of view, the value proposition of this technology is also becoming glaringly clear that AI based automation shall vastly outperform manual labor as well as rule based automation both in terms of productivity and precision, wherever data is abundant for model training. IDC predicted that by 2020, organizations able to analyze all relevant data and deliver actionable information effectively meaning those able to operationalize big data, will achieve an extra $430 billion in productivity benefits over their less analytically oriented peers. With now AI taking up the center stage of big data management and utilization, more organizations are in search of effective means to operationalize AI. For telecom service providers, such need is more pressing as operational data and network events are already of humongous volume. The growing complexity of network topology and vendor ecosystems has further increased the demand for automated configuration, management and maintenance. With greater bandwidth to come in the much anticipated 5G era, more data traffic will be pumped through the networks of future within microseconds, exposing the operational vulnarabilities of the Telecom operators. In this paper, we dive deeper into the role of AI automation can play in the telecom sector, and why AI for Operations represents a great opportunity for telcos to establish leader position in the future market. As an example of the evolving efforts towards AIOps for Networks, the solution architecture and highlights of the AI platform from ZTE: uSmartInsight are provided, together with concrete use cases where the platform has accelerated AI operationalization for telco operators with proven results. Expediting AI for Operations in the Networks of Future 2 Industry Perspective Telco to Establish a New Identity as the Vanguard of Technology Adoption The telecom companies provide connectivity which is the backbone of most digital disruptive innovations. Itself however is a sector where products and services have become largely commoditized. Even though many of their customers, individual consumers and enterprise accounts alike, remain to be locked in for the mid to long term, telecom service providers need to search and secure new growth areas and business models to make up for the lost ground to the Internet OTT (over the top) content providers, and more importantly to stay prepared for future changes. The Need to Revamp & Reestablish Identity Despite being able to offer a myriad of services including data center, OTT, communication services, cloud services, managed business and IT services, telecom service providers often have an obscured identity among the digital natives, where not many of their value-add capabilities can stand out in competition. For example, less people will relate telecom companies as the go to vendor for cloud services, or managed security services, or OTT content. Even for their traditional business strongholds, customer centricity could be lagging to secure continued loyalty of the Millennials and the Centennials. It is time for telecom companies to revamp and re-establish themselves as a leader in the technological world. And the means to achieve that is continued digitalization to modernize legacy network operations and upgrade service offerings, so that the services provided will stay relevant and distinctive for the targeted customers. IDC sees the telecom sector to be an important aspect of digital transformation and the transition to 3rd platform accelerators in 2018. According IDC Futurescapes: Worldwide Telecommunications 2018 Predictions, many digital technologies such as AI, BDA (big data and analytics), Expediting AI for Operations in the Networks of Future 4 International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment commu- nity make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,100 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries worldwide. For 50 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the worlds leading technology media, research, and events company. 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