In this exclusive conversation, Arvind Khurana from Nokia India discusses how AI, GenAI, and automation are reshaping the future of telecom networks. He explains Nokia’s vision for AI-native networks, emerging 5G monetization models, the rise of API-driven innovation, and the critical role of cybersecurity in an increasingly intelligent and connected ecosystem.
IT Voice- How is Nokia leveraging GenAI and AI to enhance network performance, automation, and customer experience in the telecom domain?
Arvind Khurana- At Nokia we treat AI, including Generative AI (GenAI), as an accelerator for turning networks into intelligent and automated systems. We combine traditional ML, causal AI and Multi-Agent Reinforcement learning (MARL) for real-time sensing and decisioning, while using GenAI to handle unstructured data, summarise insights, power telco assistants and speed up complex, non-real-time automation tasks.
Practically, this means faster fault detection and resolution, smarter capacity forecasts, automated service orchestration and AI-assisted customer and security workflows that reduce mean-time-to-repair and improve customer experience.
IT Voice- As networks become increasingly intelligent, what’s your vision of a truly AI-native network? How close are we to achieving that?
Arvind Khurana- Nokia envisions the next era of connectivity as the era of AI-native mobility. To invent and secure this future, industry needs to pioneer AI-driven network designs, advanced algorithms, and trusted security frameworks that make networks increasingly adaptive, autonomous, and seamless to the user. One of the areas we are focusing on autonomous networking, giving telecom service providers a programmable, cloud-native core with zero-touch automation and API-led monetization.
We are already at a stage where many foundational elements, including cloud-native core network functions, orchestration systems, AI models, and observability frameworks, are production-ready or being trialled at scale. Achieving TM Forum’s Levels 3 – 4 autonomy remains a journey that requires richer data, stronger standards, and wider ecosystem adoption, but the technical building blocks are firmly in place.
IT Voice- With 5G rollout gaining momentum, what are the top monetization opportunities for CSPs beyond traditional connectivity?
Arvind Khurana- Beyond connectivity, the top monetization opportunities include – network-exposed platform services (APIs / Network as Code) for developers, enterprise slices tailored to vertical needs (industrial automation, logistics), edge-native applications (AR/VR, real-time analytics), cybersecurity services and private wireless for Industry 4.0. The key is packaging network capabilities as modular digital services that developers can easily consume, that’s how telecom service providers turn infrastructure into recurring, higher-value digital services.
IT Voice- How can network slicing, edge computing, and IoT help operators create differentiated 5G services for enterprises and consumers?
Arvind Khurana- Network slicing lets service providers offer isolated virtual networks with guaranteed SLAs for specific use cases like low latency for automation and guaranteed throughput for media. Edge computing brings compute close to the user/device to enable real-time processing for AR, remote control and low-latency analytics. IoT provides the instrumentation and data that drive new automation and business models. Combined, these technologies let telecom service providers deliver tailored service bundles (slice + edge + IoT + analytics) to verticals such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and smart cities.
IT Voice- The API economy is being called a major enabler of 5G innovation. How do APIs transform CSPs into digital service providers?
Arvind Khurana- APIs abstract complex network capabilities like QoS adjustments, slice creation, location, edge placement and telemetry, into simple software calls. That lets application developers and system integrators rapidly build services without needing deep telco expertise.
By exposing programmable network capabilities through developer portals and marketplaces, networks become platforms where third parties create, deploy and monetize new digital services, effectively shifting service providers from connectivity pipe providers to true platform providers.
IT Voice- How is Nokia helping operators adopt open and programmable network architectures to accelerate innovation through APIs?
Arvind Khurana- We’ve built a Network as Code approach, a developer portal and platform that exposes network capabilities as easily consumable resources. This simplifies onboarding for developers, supports standards work (GSMA Open Gateway / CAMARA) and enables telecom service providers to offer APIs and service marketplaces quickly.
Our cloud-native architecture, service meshes, and API-enabled automation tools are designed so service providers can safely open capabilities while retaining control and assuring performance.
IT Voice- As AI and 5G expand, cybersecurity threats are also evolving. What are the key focus areas for securing telecom networks today?
Arvind Khurana- For securing telecom networks today, the key focus areas are end-to-end visibility and telemetry, threat detection tailored to telco protocols, robust identity and access controls across cloud-native components, supply-chain and OSS/BSS hardening, and preparedness for increasingly sophisticated attack vectors, including AI-assisted attacks. Resilience planning, segmented architectures and strong incident response capabilities are also essential.
IT Voice- How is Nokia embedding AI-driven threat detection and cyber resilience within its network offerings?
Arvind Khurana- We embed AI and XDR capabilities into our security portfolio (for example NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome integrated with telco-centric GenAI assistants) to aggregate signals, reduce false positives, and speed up triage and remediation. AI helps correlate cross-domain telemetry, prioritize incidents and even suggest or automate containment actions, improving both detection quality and operational response times.
IT Voice- From a business perspective, how does Nokia support CSPs in building intelligent, secure, and sustainable networks?
Arvind Khurana- Nokia combines cloud-native network elements, automation, security and services to reduce total cost of ownership, accelerate time-to-market and enable new revenue streams. We help telecom service providers move to web-scale architectures, introduce observability and AI, adopt open APIs and improve rollout cycles, all while embedding energy-efficiency and sustainability practices across planning and operations. The outcome is networks that are more intelligent, resilient and commercially viable.
IT Voice- Looking ahead, how do you see the convergence of AI, 5G, and cloud redefining the telecom ecosystem over the next few years?
Arvind Khurana- In the next few years, as AI expands into autonomous systems, robotics, industrial automation and augmented reality, networks will also evolve to provide ubiquitous, trusted and adaptive connectivity, essentially becoming invisible to the user. This means connectivity that is automatically provisioned, optimized in real time, and capable of supporting new workloads with the right bandwidth, latency and security.
The convergence of AI, 5G and cloud will shift the industry from connectivity-centric models to platform and data-centric ecosystems. 5G and distributed cloud will deliver highly reliable connectivity and local compute, while AI will turn network and application telemetry into insights and automation. Open APIs will connect developers, enterprises and partners into new value chains. Together, these capabilities will power real-time industries, such as autonomous logistics, remote healthcare and advanced AR, and fundamentally change how telecom service providers monetize networks.
