4 THE INCOMPAS SHOW I OCTOBER 8 - 10, 2023 www.bekabusinessmedia.com DAY 2 (Continued from page 1) “In a 60-day period,” he continued, “that many connected to ChatGPT.” Microsoft is one of several companies at the forefront of such rapid investment in AI productivity. “You can find AI capabilities across almost all of the applications that you use,” noted Microsoft’s Lievano. “What I’m excited about is how we can generate AI technology to create new products that transform existing ones.” In particular, the panel highlighted a few examples. Lievano sees value in taking certain use cases and applying additional intelligence layers. AI also benefits network monitoring; taking network telemetry data to extend detection in previously unparalleled ways. Then, there is AI’s ability to understand and interpret information. “What’s exciting is taking machine learning, where you had to be really explicit about what you wanted it to do and how you wanted it to work,” said Lievano. “Now [it’s], ‘show me some insights. Tell me about this. Help me explain how to be more interactive’.” And that could have implications on systems integration, network monitoring and even HR, legal and contracting. “We’re going to see a whole new evolution on the hardware and infrastructure side to be more efficient at the machine learning and AI space,” added Google’s Shatzkamer. “We’re so wrapped up in the telecom industry around the conversation of edge computing and the need to decentralize. When we decentralize, we get lower latency, but an inverse answer to that same problem is more fiber. I don’t have to decentralize if I have more direct fiber routes to be able to get to core data centers.” Even AI is not without its challenges. Despite streaming telemetry data’s ability to rapidly generate jobs and information, organizations are still working through the best way to store and apply the massive amount of data it takes to fuel a generative AI engine. “I’ve configured, developed, built and operated networks. The hardest part is building the network,” said Arcadian Infracom’s Davis. “There’s a massive amount of right-of-way data and massive amount of permitting rules. Behind each one of these are permitting processes that interact with each other. For us, we really focus on that development side of the network as an opportunity to use AI as an accelerator in route development.” There are also potentially huge implications related to the already troublesome cybersecurity arena, as newer innovations are unveiled. “We need some work around regulatory standards to ensure proper response to the use of this technology by the vendors creating the platforms, technologies and tools,” said Zayo’s Long. In particular, he cited developing concern over voice processing’s progress, noting that cybercriminals can now generate realistic voices to have bots mimic real identities. “There’s been an amazing return for nefarious use of this stuff. That’s why we’re really promoting that the telcos look into leveraging this technology to help, for example, consumers to stay safe.” Overall, the session presented fascinating views from a panel that Pickering said “represents some of the leading thinkers” in the field of AI. Ultimately, AI’s future is limitless in possibilities and will open a whole new world of opportunity. This maturing technology offers a generative model that presents advanced paths toward reasoning and handling massive amounts of data. Despite artificial intelligence’s inherent challenges, Long doesn’t necessarily see it as all bad. He smiled and said jokingly, “AI will change our operations, networks and data with time, just think I’ll likely be sending my robot here in the future to represent me.” p For additional information: • Arcadian Infracom – arcadianinfra.com – INCOMPAS Deal Center Table #14 • Google AI Solutions – www.cloud.google.com • Microsoft Worldwide Telecommunications Industry - www.microsoft.com/en-us/ industry/telecommunications • Zayo - www.zayo.com – INCOMPAS Skybox Deluxe Meeting Room Fiber connectivity provider Kinetic Wholesale, by Windstream, introduced its new Nexus client portal. This software is designed to help solve unique wholesale buyer challenges. In particular, Nexus offers a flexible approach through which customers can employ their own systems and tools. Nexus is engineered to streamline and accelerate complex processes related to quoting, ordering, delivery and management of Kinetic wholesale services. In particular, it leverages the capabilities of Connectbase and TransUnion TruContact Universal Order Connect, powered by Neustar, as well as dozens of other systems that offer APIs to benefit back-office automation, support serviceability and fulfill order processing automation. Particular capabilities include: quoting (bulk and individual for all Kinetic services); quote-to-order conversion; order progress status with notifications and reporting; inventory/billing/trouble management/analytics and administrative functions, with role-based access to functionality. “Wholesale users need scalable processes that save time and enable processing information in bulk,” said Simon Cooper, vice president of Kinetic Wholesale Services. “Our wholesale experts designed Nexus to be intuitive yet packed with all the functionality needed for our customers to quote and manage orders, as well as procurement specialists to get pricing, including operations experts who manage and monitor orders and fulfilment for wholesale services.” p For more information on Kinetic Wholesale, visit www.business.windstream.com/ wholesale or stop by to see them at Deal Center Tables 8 and 9, or Booth 102. Kinetic Wholesale Unveils Customizable Portal
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTg4Njc=