# NVIDIA report shows 89% of telcos prioritize open AI models for customization and cost

Digest AI · Enterprise & Industry · published 2026-10-06T13:00:19Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/nvidia-report-shows-89-of-telcos-prioritize-open-ai-models-for-customi

## Summary

NVIDIA’s *State of AI in Telecommunications* report highlights why telecom operators are shifting to open AI models. According to the survey, **89% of respondents** say open source models and software are critical to their AI strategy. The report outlines five key benefits: lower costs for frontier-level intelligence, customization with proprietary data, greater trust and control over model behavior, flexible deployment across clouds and edge, and the ability to deliver locally adapted AI services for enterprise and government clients.

NVIDIA’s *Nemotron* family of open models is positioned as a foundation for telecom-specific AI, with **NVIDIA Agent Toolkit** and **NVIDIA AI Enterprise** software enabling production-ready workflows. SoftBank Corp. and AT&T are among operators leveraging open models, with SoftBank using them to develop its *SoftBank Large Telecom Model* for network operations. AT&T emphasizes model flexibility aligned with business priorities. Meanwhile, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison’s *Sahabat-AI* models demonstrate how operators can adapt open foundations to local languages and cultural contexts.

## Key points

- NVIDIA’s survey finds 89% of telecom operators prioritize open AI models for cost and customization
- Open models enable fine-tuning with proprietary data for network operations, customer care, and local AI services
- NVIDIA provides end-to-end tools like *Nemotron*, *Agent Toolkit*, and *AI Enterprise* for production deployment

## Why it matters

Open models reduce dependency on closed systems, letting telcos tailor AI to their workflows while cutting costs. This shift could accelerate autonomous networks and localized AI services globally.

## Sources

1. [Why Telecom Operators Are Building Their AI Strategy on Open Models](https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/telecom-operators-open-models) (NVIDIA Blog, 2026-10-06, primary source)

## Cite

Digest AI, "NVIDIA report shows 89% of telcos prioritize open AI models for customization and cost", 6 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/nvidia-report-shows-89-of-telcos-prioritize-open-ai-models-for-customi

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