The telecommunications industry is, by nature, constantly evolving and making the most of new technologies and this means that staying at the forefront of the game can be challenging. However, by engaging with the latest trends and optimising your systems to address the risks that come from AI and other elements, you can keep your business moving forward and ensure that you are keeping up with industry leaders.
Here, we’ll take a look at the AI generated tools that are shifting the tides for telecoms companies and consider the potential benefits of these applications. At Xintec, we have created a multi-faceted solution to the problem of telecom fraud and we know that risks come from all directions. This is why it’s so important to be aware of the potential problems so that we can identify and prevent fraud every time.
What is AI?
AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is the name given to the process of creating machines that can ‘think’ like humans, learning from previous experiences and adjusting to new inputs. AI makes use of deep learning and natural language processing, and enables machines to carry out tasks that have previously required intelligence, such as creating artworks and writing. AI technology has the ability to process vast amounts of data more quickly than the human brain and can use pattern recognition to make decisions.
AI is often heralded as a revolution in technology, with many companies jumping on the bandwagon to proclaim it the solution to everything. However, common sense and experience tell us that we need to take a more balanced approach here, weighing up the pros and cons and observing the potential problems of AI alongside the benefits. There are some new AI generated tools that cause risks for operators and an awareness of these can prevent us from getting carried away.
Generative AI is an area of artificial intelligence that is rapidly developing, working with deep learning algorithms and assimilating patterns from vast datasets to create content that is not real. Generative AI can be used to create images, audio and video that compare favourably with human-generated content, which means that machines can be used to generate original content, sometimes known as deepfake. This type of AI uses ‘neural networks’, or webs, which mirror the thinking processes of a human brain by sifting and internalising data patterns via interconnected nodes. During the ‘training’ process, these networks learn to produce original content, and this type of AI can pose particular risks to the telecommunications industry.
What are the Risks of AI?
AI can perform impressive tasks and the technology continues to develop very quickly. However, there are many potential problems with AI and not just for telecom companies. On a wider scale, there are societal concerns that the advancement of AI will increase unemployment, as more human job roles are replaced by machines, and that AI will lead to ethical dilemmas on varying scales. Decision making in the absence of emotional engagement is always a concern, and the lack of transparency that comes with using Artificial Intelligence rather than human intelligence is also a potential red flag.
In the telecommunications industry, Generative AI can be used as a positive force to distribute resources more effectively, streamlining services and enabling better performance across networks as services are tailored to customer behaviour. This is great news for customers and for telecoms companies, who can use these tools to provide a better service than ever. However, this should not convince us to ignore the potential pitfalls that these same AI tools can create. These tools should be used with caution and only when we are certain that this is in the best interests of customers and businesses alike. Of course, we must remember that the fraudsters we protect against are using these tools to create new opportunities for theft and cybercrime, and our greatest challenge is to stay ahead of them.
Challenges for AI Generated Tools
As using AI generated tools becomes standard practice in the telecommunications industry, it is essential that we safeguard customers and businesses against the following challenges:
- Poor quality data. The data used by AI tools must be high quality, accurate and complete in order to achieve good results, and this should be a priority for all telecom companies and the revenue protection services they use.
- Inadequate experience. It can be difficult to manage AI tools which are brand new as they require human operators with new skillsets to interpret and maintain them. This may incur training costs or require recruitment of new staff.
- Hallucinations. Hallucinations in AI generated tools are ‘glitches’ that occur when tools cannot understand the data they are using and generate nonsensical or incorrect outputs. This is a big problem if we are reliant on them to be consistent and means that we do not always have the control we may think we do. We must be aware of the unpredictability this introduces into our systems and continuously monitor AI tools.
- Noncompliance with existing systems. Setting up your systems to be compliant with new AI tools and integrating these into your practice is not always easy.
- High costs. There may be significant investment required to make the most of AI generated tools, and this may be a concern for smaller operators who need to keep up with industry developments.
- Ensuring compliance. The regulations that govern the telecoms industry must be adhered to when new AI tools are implemented, and this means considering the legal and ethical implications of such tools to prevent bias and protect the privacy of customers across the board.
In summary, AI generated tools have a great deal to offer us and can be a very effective resource in our mission to protect against fraud in the telecoms industry. However, we should approach these tools with caution and ensure that the benefits are not blinding us to the potential problems that they may bring.
Protect Your Customers with Xintec
Xintec is a leading, trusted provider of Revenue Assurance and Fraud Management and we work with telecommunications and utility providers across the globe. We provide scalable solutions that are based on human intelligence and we are committed to continually developing our approaches to use the newest technology, including AI generated tools.
Our fully integrated platform, iGenuity is a revolutionary solution to protect your revenues and your customers. We offer a range of off the shelf solutions and we can tailor bespoke packages to your unique requirements for optimum results. Talk to our experienced team of architects, technologists and domain experts to find out how we can streamline your systems and protect your business against fraud.
