Surge in data, other demands require telcos to deploy AI to evolve - Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai

Chief Executive Officer-Telecel Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai, has underscored the need for players in the telecommunications industry to deploy AI in their operations to maximise productivity.

Delivering a keynote speech on the topic ‘Driving Economic Diversification: The Role of Al in Telecommunications’ at the 8th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra, Mrs. Obo-Nai indicated that adopting and promoting the positive use of technologies is the CEO and management’s responsibility; and by resourcing the digital teams with the needed tools and skill sets, leveraging AI is key to telcos’ survival.

“The telecommunication industry is the backbone of global digital infrastructure and a key enabler for the economic diversification that this country needs.

“And so as data demand surges and connected devices are increasing, telcos will have to find ways of delivering the desired experience in the most efficient way. Deploying AI to fast-track our service delivery, improve customer experience and stay ahead of the curve with tech innovation is key to our survival ,and I dare say for that of the country.”

According to her, proactive network management, fault detection, fraud detection, network planning, staff recruitment as well as prediction of employees churn are many ways that telcos are adopting AI.

The one-day summit is themed ‘Reigniting Business and Economic Growth: Charting a Path Forward; Economic Diversification and Artificial Intelligence Transformation. A Private-Public Sector CEO Dialogue & High Impact- Learn’.

On how Telecel is deploying the technology, Mrs. Obo-Nai noted that after five years, the business is reaping the benefits of embedding AI in how they work and deliver services to customers.

“We have engrained AI and machine learning into our product design systems to create tailored data and voice packages for customers. Our systems manage customers behaviour such as your data, your airtime usage and many more, and recommend personalised packages that will align to your purchasing power and usage history.

“Additionally, we use AI to predict the creditworthiness of customers; and through this, we are able to issue your airtime in advance or loans using our mobile financial services platform app- Telecel cash,” she said.

The company, she further noted, has deployed predictive models that detect customers who are about to churn from the network, giving the company the opportunity to set in and do everything it can to retain the customer.

“In our customer queries, we are using AI and machine learning aas well as an AI powered virtual assistant as a major channel for queries and troubleshooting customer issues, especially for those who do not want to use the traditional call centre.”

She however cautioned players in the industry to set ethical guidelines in their deploying of Ai. – especially regarding abuse of the technology such as data privacy breaches, saying: “We need to advance responsibly”.

Speaking at the summit, Chief Executive Officer-CEO Network Ghana, organiser of the Summit, Ernest De-Graft Egyir said the theme for this year’s edition encapsulates the need for Ghana’s private and public sectors to collaborate in navigating a rapidly evolving global landscape.

He said economic diversification is crucial for resilience and sustained growth, while leveraging AI presents unparalleled opportunities for innovation and efficiency.

He maintained that by fostering dialogue between CEOs from both sectors and emphasising high-impact learning, the summit seeks to inspire strategic partnerships and actionable insights to propel Ghana’s economic resurgence in the digital age.

On the conversation about artificial intelligence transformation to reignite business and economic growth, Antanas Bernatonis, Founder-WHY AI Agency, who spoke on “The AI Advantage: Why AI, Case Studies and Reality Check”, further explained the AI Advantage; showcasing real-life case studies and providing a reality check on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in business.

Mr. Bernatonis, gave valuable insights into how AI is reshaping industries, unlocking new opportunities and driving innovation, and encouraged companies to invest in AI as it is no longer the future but “the now”.