Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2026. Read them in this 18th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
From autonomous networks accelerating real-time decision-making to agentic AI redefining how telecom organizations operate, AI advancements are reshaping the industry at scale. As we look to the year ahead, how will this transformation continue?
Amdocs leaders share their predictions for how AI will shape telecom in 2026, from workforce evolution and intelligent operations to programmable platforms that move AI from experimentation to execution.
Verification Becomes the New Trust as AI Blurs Reality
AI use is continuously accelerating, and Gil Rosen, Chief Marketing Officer, predicts that the technology will completely change how trust, truth, and connectivity are perceived in 2026.
“In 2026, the very concept of truth will be on trial,” says Rosen. “AI-generated images, voices, and content will blur the line between real and synthetic to the point where you won’t believe what you see, only what you can validate.”
Rosen predicts a cultural and technological shift: trust will move from perception to verification. “The new default will be skepticism. Consumers, newsrooms, governments, everyone, will need proof.”
On the connectivity front, Rosen expects satellite-powered broadband to finally break out of niche status and become a mainstream competitor, with at least one satellite provider attempting a direct-to-consumer model.
Why Agent-Ready Data Will Define the Future of AI
Ilan Sade, Division President – GenAI & Data, forecasts that data readiness-not model sophistication-will determine the success of agentic AI.
“In 2026, enterprises will recognize that the success of agentic AI depends less on model sophistication and more on the availability of agent-ready data that is unified, trusted, and accessible across the organization,” says Sade. “Breaking down data silos and modernizing data architectures will become a strategic priority, enabling AI agents to operate with full business context across domains such as network operations, customer care, commerce, and service assurance. Rather than building isolated data pipelines, organizations will invest in holistic data layers to support autonomous reasoning, decision-making, and execution at scale.”
Enterprises will increasingly develop proprietary data and AI platforms that standardize access to data, tools, and governance for both internal teams and ecosystem partners. These platforms will allow organizations to industrialize AI adoption, reduce time-to-value, and continuously evolve agentic solutions as business needs change.”
Enterprise AI Shifts from Isolated Use Cases to End-to-End Agentic Operations: “In 2026, enterprise AI will take center stage as organizations move beyond narrowly defined GenAI use cases to orchestrate end-to-end business processes through coordinated agentic operations,” adds Sade.
“Rather than applying AI to isolated tasks, enterprises will adopt AI-native workflows where multiple agents collaborate to sense, decide, and act across operational, commercial, and customer-facing domains-shifting AI from a support tool to an active driver of execution and optimization. As agentic operations mature, success will be measured by tangible business outcomes, not model performance or task-level automation. AI agents will learn continuously, adapt in real time, and dynamically optimize processes-driving greater agility, efficiency, and resilience while reshaping enterprise operating models.”
Rising Costs Driving Autonomy
Joe Hogan, CTO, Amdocs Networks, expects cost pressures to accelerate the move toward highly autonomous networks across multiple domains.
“By 2026, communications service providers will have no choice but to fundamentally rethink how networks are operated,” says Joe Hogan, CTO, Amdocs Networks. “CSPs are seeing revenues flatlining or declining. So, a key task for them is to decrease the cost of operations (OPEX) and introduce networks that can use artificial intelligence (AI) to help manage networks and services much more efficiently.
On autonomy, Hogan sees rapid progress ahead. “CSPs implementing autonomous networks (AN) are at a stage of �autonomous intelligence’ or partial autonomy (TM Forum AN Level 3) in core network functions, focusing on self-healing, self-optimization, and a �zero-touch’ customer experience. In 2026, CSPs will reach AN Level 3 across multiple domains (e.g. RAN, core, edge, transport, and IP) and in some cases even AN Level 4.”
AI Agents Redefining Customer Operations and Software Development
As we enter the year of AI agents, Samit Banerjee, Division President, Customer Business Services, predicts that coordinated agents will redefine how customer operations and software development are executed.
“In 2026, the biggest shift in AI will be the move from isolated assistants to agentic, end-to-end GenAI orchestration,” predicts Banerjee. Operators will deploy coordinated AI agents that plan, act, learn, and collaborate across the entire customer lifecycle, transforming GenAI from task-level support into autonomous workflow management and decision optimization.
This shift will also reshape the software development lifecycle. AI agents and human teams will work as a single, integrated system across development, testing, and operations-breaking down traditional silos and creating a continuous, intelligent engineering environment.
“The organizations that succeed will be those that master multi-agent governance,” the outlook concludes. Reliability, traceability, and safe human-machine collaboration will define winners, as GenAI evolves from a productivity tool into a core operational backbone.
Entering the Era of a True AI Co-Worker
Victoria Myers, Americas Employee Experience Lead, predicts AI will become a core driver of workforce collaboration.
By 2026, AI will move from the HR back office to the center of workforce collaboration,” predicts Myers. Intelligent assistants will handle routine HR tasks-from employee queries and interview scheduling to onboarding-while agentic AI automates complex workflows such as policy compliance, training follow-ups, and performance processes. This shift will free HR teams to focus on strategy, culture, and meaningful human interaction.
The talent model will evolve just as quickly. “Organizations will accelerate toward a skills-first approach,” she notes, using AI to map capabilities, identify gaps, and drive continuous upskilling. Rather than defaulting to external hiring, companies will increasingly build internal AI skills-boosting career mobility and aligning talent growth with changing business needs.
Employee experience will become deeply personalized. AI will tailor communications, learning journeys, benefits, and wellbeing initiatives to individual preferences and career goals, replacing generic programs with hyper-personalized, human-centered experiences that improve engagement and retention.
Perfecting Effective AI Agent Management
Riki Efraim-Lederman, Division President, Amdocs Studios, emphasizes that orchestration and ROI accountability will be essential as AI agents become more autonomous.
“In 2026, enterprises will need to establish the orchestration and ROI tracking required to manage AI agents effectively,” says Efraim-Lederman. “As these agents become more autonomous, refining workflows and collaborating across platforms, they will begin to shape how work is executed and optimized. Organizations that build hybrid human-AI workforces, ensure trusted governance, and embrace service-as-software models will be best positioned to capture this next wave of value.”
Accelerating Growth with Programmable Networks and eSIM
During a time where rising costs are being felt across the industry, Ragu Masilamany, Head of Subscription Platforms, predicts programmable networks and eSIM adoption will unlock new revenue and reshape competition.
“By 2026, CSPs will unlock new revenue by opening their networks as programmable platforms,” says Masilamany. “New wholesale models-such as digital-native brands beyond traditional MVNOs-will emerge alongside network slicing and global IoT partnerships that give enterprises localized, scalable connectivity. Exposed network APIs will allow enterprise developers to embed connectivity, quality, and security directly into applications, transforming networks from cost centers into growth engines.”
eSIM Shifts Competition from Activation to Digital Identity: “In 2026, eSIM’s mass-market adoption will shift the competitive focus from device activation to digital identity ownership,” says Masilamany.” Operators will prioritize effortless onboarding, multi-device identity management, and seamless roaming journeys that allow customers to travel or switch devices without friction. While technical fragmentation will continue to slow adoption, operators that deliver truly seamless identity-centric experiences will define the next phase of mobile competition.
Looking Ahead: The Year of AI Execution
The shift ahead is clear: AI in telecom is moving from pilots to production. Those that execute with discipline across data, networks, workforce, and platforms will define the industry’s next era of innovation.
