Accelerating telecom transformation through Agentic AI and beyond

Telecom transformation: Two telecom workers in safety vests and helmets in front of a communications tower

Every year, top telecom leaders from around the world gather at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona to explore the latest innovations shaping the industry. This year confirms AI-driven automation is critical for telecom transformation that modernizes operations, improves customer experiences, and creates new efficiencies.

At the heart of this transformation is ServiceNow’s introduction of AI Agents in telecom powered by NVIDIA. They’re designed to increase productivity across the entire service lifecycle.

We're also collaborating with leading organizations to update service management, enhance managed network services, and streamline customer relationship management (CRM).

According to McKinsey, telecom companies could unlock up to $250 billion in value by 2040 by implementing advanced responsible AI practices. ServiceNow is leading this charge by putting AI agents to work for communications service providers (CSPs) across front-, middle-, and back-office teams—simplifying complexity, reducing silos, and delivering seamless connectivity.

Telecom companies could unlock up to $250 billion in value by 2040 by implementing advanced responsible AI practices. -McKinsey, Responsible AI: A business imperative for telcos, Oct. 18, 2024

Connecting sales, fulfillment, and service

In my discussions with industry leaders, I consistently hear one crucial question: How can CSPs transform operations to meet tomorrow’s challenges while driving growth today? The answer lies in connecting every part of the customer journey—from the first sales conversation to ongoing service excellence.

Customer relationships don’t begin at the point of sale—they start with the first interaction, whether it's an inquiry, a quote, or a chat about needs. Our Sales and Order Management product is transforming how CSPs engage with both consumers and enterprises.

By streamlining configure, price, quote (CPQ) and contract management, we enable sales teams to focus on what matters most: delivering solutions and creating value for customers. But we’re not just making sales faster—we’re making them smarter, with AI-driven insights that match customers with the best-fit solutions.

Once a sale is made, the next critical step is fulfillment. Sales and Order Management bridges the gap between sale and service delivery. We've designed it to handle both underlay and overlay services, speaking the language of industry standards such as those from TM Forum and MEF.

Through integrations with partners such as Fortinet and Juniper, we're automating service provisioning in ways that weren't possible before. When physical installation is needed, our Field Service Management capabilities help ensure teams have the right information at the right time, creating a smooth transition from order to active service.

Perhaps the most transformative part of our story is in service delivery. With our Telecommunications Service Management product, we've evolved beyond traditional case management to create a proactive service environment that CSPs need today.

Our industry-specific Configuration Management Database, combined with advanced network discovery and inventory management, helps providers spot potential issues before they affect customers. This isn't reactive problem-solving; it’s predicting and preventing service interruptions while identifying opportunities to enhance customer experience.

CRM and industry workflows is ServiceNow’s fastest-growing business for a reason—our interconnected approach, from sale to fulfillment to ongoing service, sets us apart in the market. True digital transformation isn't about implementing individual tools; it's about creating a seamless experience that propels growth and customer satisfaction at every touch point.

Redefining telecom AI agents enabled by NVIDIA

I’ve spoken with hundreds of CSPs over the years, and their challenges in providing frictionless customer service almost always boil down to massively complex legacy systems that leave processes disjointed and teams siloed. These barriers make fast, accurate resolution nearly impossible—until now.

ServiceNow, in collaboration with NVIDIA, is introducing AI agents in telecom to help providers cut through complexity and transform customer service with intelligent automation.

These AI agents aren’t just another version of chatbots. ServiceNow’s new AI agents in telecom, powered by the NVIDIA AI platform—including NVIDIA NIM microservices and NVIDIA NeMo, both part of NVIDIA AI Enterprise—provide CSPs with automation and intelligence tailored to their unique challenges.

Adding to the existing ecosystem of ServiceNow AI Agents, these out-of-the-box agents can learn, reason, collaborate, and solve problems autonomously, leveraging domain-specific orchestration frameworks and an advanced reasoning engine to execute actions tailored to specific agentic workflows.

What sets ServiceNow apart is our ability to orchestrate multiple AI agents on a single platform, ensuring they work together seamlessly. AI Agent Orchestrator enables inter‑agent communication, centralizing coordination across network operations, customer service, and business processes.

With native integration in our platform, AI agents have access to more information, adapt to business needs faster, and are further enhanced by ServiceNow Workflow Data Fabric—an integrated data layer that unifies business and technology data across the enterprise.

This launch is the next phase in our ongoing collaboration with NVIDIA, following last year’s generative AI solutions for telecom unveiled at MWC. Now we’re turning Agentic AI from an idea into a reality that improves the day to day for CSP service teams and customers alike.

True digital transformation isn't about implementing individual tools; it's about creating a seamless experience that propels growth and customer satisfaction at every touch point.

Simplifying automation with Orange Business

As I mentioned earlier, most CSPs still struggle with fragmented service management systems that make it difficult to get proactive alarms, track assets, integrate with customer service management tools, and provide smooth, cohesive service.

The Orange Service Management (OSM) Platform, powered by ServiceNow Telecommunications Service Management, is addressing this head-on.

OSM brings multiple service management tools into a single, intelligent platform, reducing operational inefficiencies and costs. With seamless integration, top-tier security, and real-time visibility, the platform can optimize workflows, proactively solve network issues, and deliver fast, reliable service.

This solution is on track to set a new industry benchmark for operational excellence—and it’s only going to get better as we continue working with Orange Business to consolidate IT service management tools and onboard more service desks and customers onto OSM.

Collaborating for innovation across our ecosystem

Innovation is the lifeblood of telecom, and true transformation requires strong partnerships. ServiceNow is teaming up with industry leaders to create next-generation solutions that help CSPs work better in every corner of their business:

Verizon Business is using ServiceNow for service management for its Managed Network Services customers. Together with HCLTech, Verizon Business is consolidating systems and providing differentiated experiences to its enterprise customers.
Prodapt is using ServiceNow Now Assist with its Customer Churn Prediction Agent, a tailored Agentic AI use case that helps telecom providers identify potential customer churn.
ServiceNow and Deloitte continue to focus on driving industry-tailored outcomes with the launch of Deloitte’s Telco360Connect solution, powered by ServiceNow. Telco360Connect opens the door to telecom-specific innovation and helps organizations discover new growth opportunities.
Bell Canada and Segra announced they’re deepening their partnerships with ServiceNow, using our platform to modernize CRM and enhance customer experiences.
Our acquisition of NetACE network management technology further strengthens our capabilities, helping telecom providers simplify network operations and improve efficiency. For example, by automating network discovery and reconciliation, CSPs can now accelerate the journey towards autonomous network operations.

These collaborations underscore our commitment to deliver smart, AI-powered automation that allows CSPs to navigate complexity and turn AI investments into value, fast.

AI agents in telecom help providers cut through complexity and transform customer service with intelligent automation.

Powering the future with intelligence, agility, AI

The future belongs to those who embrace AI, automation, and integrated platforms. ServiceNow is leading this shift by putting AI agents to work across front-, middle-, and back-office operations, helping CSPs streamline service, modernize networks, and optimize sales and fulfillment.

With AI-driven service agents, intelligent operations, and strategic partnerships with industry leaders, we’re delivering real value—today. Our AI agents go beyond simple automation to learn, adapt, and take action to eliminate silos and create seamless experiences across all agentic workflows.

Find out more about how ServiceNow helps put AI to work for telecom.