Deutsche Telekom predicts AI will shift network intelligence toward the edge
At Deutsche Telekom's AI Investor Day, Telekom Deutschland CEO Rodrigo Diehl said AI workloads will increasingly need to run closer to users and devices rather than only in distant data centers. He cited robots and physical AI as applications that demand better latency, jitter, and quality of service from public networks. The carrier also sees 6G and network orchestration as key to making networks more autonomous and capable of sensing and acting on information.
At its AI Investor Day, Deutsche Telekom described four forces reshaping telecom: moving AI processing nearer users, addressing local trust and sovereignty, preparing for 6G, and improving orchestration across access technologies. Telekom Deutschland CEO Rodrigo Diehl said distant server farms cannot serve many emerging AI workloads quickly enough.
Diehl also pointed to a world after smartphones, with AI agents that remember context and act for users, plus voice controls and connected wearables like glasses and earbuds. Physical AI outside controlled factory or campus settings, he said, will need stronger latency, jitter, and service quality, while future networks might detect, interpret, and respond to data.
If intelligence moves closer to users, consumers and workers relying on robots, wearables, and voice assistants could see faster, more responsive services, though benefits may depend on coverage and affordability. Telecom operators could gain new ways to differentiate and monetize, while cloud providers and device makers may need to adapt. Local trust and sovereignty concerns could influence where data is processed. These changes may take years and require 6G, orchestration, and common standards before their societal effects become clear.