Planning for day zero AI-driven operations: a live discussion

"Automation across silos doesn’t work. You need a connected system from day zero." – Vivek Murthy, President, OSS Business Unit, Rakuten Symphony

As telcos get set to head to DTW Ignite in Copenhagen, one truth stands out: AI and automation in telecom networks can’t be bolted on after the fact. In this pre-DTW episode of Zero-Touch Live, Vivek Murthy joins Rakuten Symphony CMO Geoff Hollingworth to explore why intelligent operations must be built in from the beginning.

The replay is available now below.

From Fragmented to Connected

Vivek opens the conversation with lessons from his time at BT, where he led OSS transformation programs and platform development. There, he saw how siloed operations can be effective locally but ultimately limit visibility and diminish the customer experience at scale. The larger fallout? Fragmented planning, disconnected systems and isolated service centers that can result in 15+ NOCs, inconsistent data and dashboards that offer surface-level insights without enabling true service assurance.

In Vivek's view, layering AI onto this complexity doesn’t work. Instead, telcos need a digital-first, cloud-native foundation that connects planning (day zero), provisioning (day one) and intelligent operations (day two). Without it, AI efforts stall as they become limited by fragmentation and a lack of usable insight.

The takeaway: AI success starts by simplifying the operational model, not automating complexity. That means making tough choices early, like retiring legacy systems, rethinking processes and laying the groundwork for scalable, real-time operations.

Going to DTW Ignite?

Catch Vivek at the show to hear how Rakuten Symphony is helping operators rethink OSS and turn AI into business value.

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