Awareness Day: AI in Intelligent Networks
As the telecommunications industry accelerates toward AI-native networks, we invite innovators, researchers, and thought leaders to share their insights and breakthroughs. AI-native wireless technologies represent a fundamental shift in how networks are designed, deployed, and operated—moving beyond incremental evolution to a transformative reimagining of connectivity.
From self-optimizing architectures to autonomous service orchestration across 5G, 6G, Wi-Fi, and satellite systems, adaptive intelligence is becoming the cornerstone of next-generation networks. AI-native architectures embed intelligence across all layers, demanding pervasive data availability, distributed compute, and dynamic orchestration to enable responsive, intent-driven operations.
The campaign explores three key areas for AI deployment in telecommunications:
🔍 AI-native architectures: AI is embedded across all layers of the network, enabling intelligent, adaptive operations through data, compute, and orchestration.
🧠 Intelligent network design: building an open, high-performance RAN platform will boost automation, supports RAN, and delivers real-world benefits.
🌐 Edge AI for next-gen connectivity: Edge AI drives performance, privacy, and automation—requiring new tools, frameworks, and collaboration for autonomous networks.
These initiatives aim to revolutionize mobile telecommunications in the UK by developing an open, intelligent, and high-performance Radio Access Network platform. By enhancing software automation, promoting interoperability, and enabling edge AI capabilities, we can unlock new levels of performance, personalization, and autonomy in future networks
AI-native architectures
An AI-native architecture is one where artificial intelligence is deeply integrated across all layers of the system—from functional to deployment architectures—requiring pervasive data availability, distributed compute resources, and dynamic orchestration to enable intelligent, adaptive operations throughout the infrastructure.
Intelligent network design
These projects aims to revolutionize the UK's mobile telecommunications by developing an open, intelligent, and high-performing Radio Access Network platform that enhances software automation, supports interoperability through Open RAN principles, and delivers measurable system-level benefits.
Edge AI for next-gen connectivity
Edge AI is becoming essential, driven by demands for performance, privacy, personalization, and automation—requiring foundational advances in hardware, software, tools, and frameworks, alongside collaborative efforts to enable intent-driven, autonomous networks and AI-powered task automation.
Join our Driving AI Adoption in Telecoms Webinar
This session will examine how telecom operators, regulators, and technology providers are navigating key implementation challenges—such as data quality, integration, and oversight—while preparing for AI deployment in competitive markets.
Contact us
Tales Gaspar
Tales has a background in law and economics, with previous experience in the regulation of new technologies and infrastructure.
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
techUK - Seizing the AI Opportunity
The UK is a global leader in AI innovation, development and adoption.
AI has the potential to boost UK GDP by £550 billion by 2035, making adoption an urgent economic priority. techUK and our members are committed to working with the Government to turn the AI Opportunities Action Plan into reality. Together we can ensure the UK seizes the opportunities presented by AI technology and continues to be a world leader in AI development.
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Contact the team
Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi
Kir Nuthi is the Head of AI and Data at techUK.
She holds over seven years of Government Affairs and Tech Policy experience in the US and UK. Kir previously headed up the regulatory portfolio at a UK advocacy group for tech startups and held various public affairs in US tech policy. All involved policy research and campaigns on competition, artificial intelligence, access to data, and pro-innovation regulation.
Kir has an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London and a BA in both Political Science (International Relations) and Economics from the University of California San Diego.
Outside of techUK, you are likely to find her attempting studies at art galleries, attempting an elusive headstand at yoga, mending and binding books, or chasing her dog Maya around South London's many parks.
- Email:
- [email protected]
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman Ikhlaq
Usman joined techUK in January 2024 as Programme Manager for Artificial Intelligence.
He leads techUK’s AI Adoption programme, supporting members of all sizes and sectors in adopting AI at scale. His work involves identifying barriers to adoption, exploring solutions, and helping to unlock AI’s transformative potential, particularly its benefits for people, the economy, society, and the planet. He is also committed to advancing the UK’s AI sector and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in AI by working closely with techUK members, the UK Government, regulators, and devolved and local authorities.
Since joining techUK, Usman has delivered a regular drumbeat of activity to engage members and advance techUK's AI programme. This has included two campaign weeks, the creation of the AI Adoption Hub (now the AI Hub), the AI Leader's Event Series, the Putting AI into Action webinar series and the Industrial AI sprint campaign.
Before joining techUK, Usman worked as a policy, regulatory and government/public affairs professional in the advertising sector. He has also worked in sales, marketing, and FinTech.
Usman holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), a GDL and LLB from BPP Law School, and a BA from Queen Mary University of London.
When he isn’t working, Usman enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also has a keen interest in running, reading and travelling.
Sue Daley OBE
Sue Daley OBE
Sue leads techUK's Technology and Innovation work.
This includes work programmes on cloud, data protection, data analytics, AI, digital ethics, Digital Identity and Internet of Things as well as emerging and transformative technologies and innovation policy.
In 2025, Sue was honoured with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the Technology Industry in the New Year Honours List.
She has been recognised as one of the most influential people in UK tech by Computer Weekly's UKtech50 Longlist and in 2021 was inducted into the Computer Weekly Most Influential Women in UK Tech Hall of Fame.
A key influencer in driving forward the data agenda in the UK, Sue was co-chair of the UK government's National Data Strategy Forum until July 2024. As well as being recognised in the UK's Big Data 100 and the Global Top 100 Data Visionaries for 2020 Sue has also been shortlisted for the Milton Keynes Women Leaders Awards and was a judge for the Loebner Prize in AI. In addition to being a regular industry speaker on issues including AI ethics, data protection and cyber security, Sue was recently a judge for the UK Tech 50 and is a regular judge of the annual UK Cloud Awards.
Prior to joining techUK in January 2015 Sue was responsible for Symantec's Government Relations in the UK and Ireland. She has spoken at events including the UK-China Internet Forum in Beijing, UN IGF and European RSA on issues ranging from data usage and privacy, cloud computing and online child safety. Before joining Symantec, Sue was senior policy advisor at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Sue has an BA degree on History and American Studies from Leeds University and a Masters Degree on International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Birmingham. Sue is a keen sportswoman and in 2016 achieved a lifelong ambition to swim the English Channel.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2055
- Twitter:
- @ChannelSwimSue,@ChannelSwimSue
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