At DTW Ignite in Copenhagen, Rakuten Symphony CMO Geoff Hollingworth joined RCR Wireless News Editor Sean Kinney to discuss the practical applications of AI in telecom.
The conversation spanned real-world deployment lessons, the latest capabilities introduced by Rakuten Symphony Site Management 2.0, the importance of operational transformation and how Rakuten Symphony is working with operators like AT&T to scale more efficient, data-driven processes.
Watch the full interview now below:
Kinney and Hollingworth cover several important considerations for operators pursuing AI-enabled transformation. Here are five key takeaways from their discussion that highlight how Rakuten Symphony is applying AI to solve real-world challenges in telecom operations:
- AI is software applied differently. Telecom needs to think about AI as simply a new way of developing software. Traditional systems rely on static, rules-based logic, while AI systems use data to infer rules dynamically. This enables telecom operators to process and act on signals across tens of thousands of dimensions, uncovering patterns that would be infeasible to identify manually.
- True impact comes from applying AI to operational bottlenecks. Rakuten Symphony’s Site Management 2.0 demonstrates the value of pragmatic AI. Originally developed within Rakuten Mobile, Site Management consolidates real-time status updates from field teams and automates verification steps. For large operators like AT&T, which manage hundreds of thousands of sites, this reduces delays, avoids unnecessary truck rolls, and compresses deployment timelines to create tangible cost and efficiency gains.
- Agentic AI needs oversight, just like human workers. There is a growing interest in agent-based AI, but Hollingworth cautioned against overreliance on autonomous systems. Like humans, AI agents can interpret instructions differently or miss critical context. Success depends not on full autonomy but on structured orchestration and feedback loops that align AI outputs with business intent.
- Accurate, centralized data is foundational to future operations. A consistent system of record is essential, particularly in dynamic, cloud-native environments where workloads shift frequently. Without real-time visibility into infrastructure state, operators cannot enable closed-loop automation or evolve toward self-driving networks.
- Operational strategy (not tech deployment) defines progress. Organizational readiness is a big barrier to embracing AI. Hollingworth underscored why success comes from aligning people, processes and tools around clearly defined business outcomes. As the industry rethinks its approach to network operations, he urged operators to move beyond legacy practices and reevaluate how the business itself is run, not just what technologies are adopted.
For more information on Rakuten Symphony Site Manager, visit our product page.
