Sinha expressed an optimistic outlook for the industry, rating it between eight and nine on the investment optimism scale.
He highlighted the evolving needs of global enterprises and hyperscalers, noting that the industry is adapting quickly but still relies on traditional value propositions.
Sinha also emphasised the significant growth opportunities in India, with over 7,000 global capability centres set to drive demand for robust connectivity.
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Vincent Zhu of China Unicom Global shared a similar outlook, highlighting the company's recent investments in the APAC region.
"We are entering a golden era of digital transformation, especially in the APAC region," he said. "In the past eight years, we’ve invested around $900 billion in the region, focusing on cables and terrestrial networks. We are very confident about the future."
Meanwhile, Dr Gopi Kurup, from Axiata Enterprise, also acknowledged the strong demand in the region but noted the challenges posed by power, talent shortages and geopolitical issues.
"The region’s growth in data and capacity is still significantly outpacing GDP and sectoral growth, so the outlook remains bullish," he stated.
As the discussion continued, the leaders delved into the role of AI in driving industry innovations.
Singha also elaborated on how Airtel has been tapping AI in network optimisation.
"At Airtel, we've been leveraging AI for a long time, especially for network optimisation. We’ve launched India’s first spam-fighting network using AI to filter out spam calls and messages. We’re also focused on rolling out 5G, cybersecurity and cloud solutions for enterprise customers."
Meanwhile, Zhu highlighted how AI is transforming China Unicom Global’s network management.
"We’ve deployed AI-driven technologies to manage network operations more efficiently," he explained. "The platform has increased network planning efficiency by 300%, which is a significant figure.”
Meanwhile, Telstra also showcased its vision for the future of digital infrastructure and AI integration. According to CEO, Roary Stasko “AI is not just a buzzword; it is actively transforming operations.
"We’re using AI to enhance customer experience through predictive analytics, streamline network management, and provide tailored solutions to enterprises,” he stated.
"With 5G and AI working in tandem, we can offer much faster services, especially in urban and underserved areas. In the next 12 to 18 months, we expect to see a surge in demand for AI-driven services, including in our cybersecurity and hybrid cloud offerings."
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