AI disruption accelerates Southeast Asia’s telecom shift

Regional telcos turn to AI to boost efficiency and revenue.

Southeast Asia’s telecom industry is rapidly intensifying its use of artificial intelligence (AI) as operators face rising competitive pressure, widening service demands, and complex geographic challenges. According to Daniel Hand, Head of Solutions Engineering, APAC at Couchbase, AI is now central to both operational efficiency and new revenue generation across the region.

Hand highlighted 5G’s role in enabling predictive maintenance and traffic forecasting, allowing telcos to plan capacity more effectively and deliver improved customer experiences. Hyperpersonalisation is also emerging as a major opportunity as operators tailor offerings down to the individual level.

Yet regional challenges complicate AI deployment. “Firstly, it's to do with the population size and then the geography,” Hand noted, pointing out that telcos must serve both high-bandwidth metropolitan hubs and remote rural areas. This drives a need for AI not just in the cloud but also at the edge. Another barrier is talent. He also flagged cross-border data privacy and sovereignty rules as the third major constraint.

On the question of who is winning the AI race—startups or incumbents—Hand said both have strengths and blind spots. “The new incumbents don't have the legacy and the baggage… but at the same time, they don't have the rich data history either,” he explained. Partnerships and selective early use cases help level the field, provided incumbents also stay agile.

Looking ahead, Hand believes Southeast Asia will play a defining role in shaping global telecom AI. The region’s geographic, regulatory, and talent challenges make it “a very fruitful sort of breeding ground for innovation and ideas,” supported by strong government leadership on responsible and transparent AI.

This interview was conducted on the sidelines of the Singapore Fintech Festival 2025.