Unthinkable Lab: Make UK/EU Telecoms Fit for an AI World

Unthinkable Labs: Exploring the Exceptional for Telecoms amidst Unthinkable Change

Geopolitical trends mean significant step-changes in UK & European AI vision are essential. The region must quickly become more capable, competitive and resilient.

Yet telecoms is only around mid-pack in adopting AI internally. It isn't adapting to serve its stakeholders' changing needs. The UK and European telco ecosystem must fully commit to this generational opportunity and drive change faster and wider.

Join this Unthinkable Lab, a unique and interactive event designed to challenge conventional thinking in the telecoms industry. It's not the "usual suspects" talking to each other either - expect attendees with very different backgrounds and points of view.

Strategy: Telecoms AI thinking is too internally-focused and stove-piped

Telcos are working internally to redesign their businesses, yet customers, vendors, regulators and investors are also reshaping themselves using AI. This parallel evolution and its consequences are not integrated into telecoms AI strategy.

How will the combination of these internal and external changes reshape the industry?

In European regulation, the upcoming Digital Networks Act (DNA) and a revisit of the AI Act are key events. There is also the Eurostack AI proposal and the UK Government's AI Bill and policies on promoting AI investments and AI Zones. All have implications for Telcos + AI.

At the same time internal telco progress on AI seems slow. There are nagging doubts about overhyped promises and real-world returns. There is too much focus on unicorns like GPU-aaS and not enough on product and service creation. Some forecasts show Telco AI investments reducing in 2025/26.

The vectors are dynamic and it requires a wider perspective to pick the right bets - which is why we believe in developing a multi-stakeholder perspective.

Telco AI: Implementation - enthusiastic but slow

Most telcos are somewhere on the path to implementing AI, although only around a quarter report implementations at scale, and the sector lags others, including technology, finance and manufacturing.

Despite some honourable exceptions, the sector is behind the curve overall. While there are numerous proofs of concept, many of these are "science experiments" for which the path to value and scale is hard to see. Is data quality the bottleneck? Or imagination?

The business value and prioritisation of key cases to scale is a headache for many. Yet it remains a - if not the - vital opportunity for the industry to step ahead.

At this Unthinkable session, we will share an overview of where the industry is, a map of potential business value, and the very leading edge of practice in Agentic AI.

Telco Stakeholder AI: External moves not fully reflected in thinking

All sectors and most consumers are at least dabbling with AI, and the most advanced are all-in on AI-fluent strategies, using the technology in every aspect of their businesses and lives. This includes government, regulators and investors - all sectors are changing.

Above all, customers are adopting the technology. Both B2C and B2B are becoming B2AI. It will become an intermediary layer for choosing plans and products, reading contracts, and negotiating prices and terms. It will impact multiple areas of telco CRM.

Yet many telcos remain relatively unclear on the consequences of these changes. While they have launched new network APIs which may be able to feed AI at scale, the industry is still seeking to grasp the uses, applications and ecosystems involved.

We will examine leading-edge research on customer trends with AI, and share perspectives from telco stakeholders: regulators and investors, on how they are applying AI and the consequences for the industry.

Session Goal: Towards a Broader Vision, Faster

The aim is to explore how to course correct and get there faster.

Anyone who has tried to apply AI knows that the outcome is often very different than they expected at the outset. AI changes the process and even sometimes the goals.

We expect participants will leave with a different vision of the future. They will gain useful contacts and insights to help them further refine their thinking, business plan and actions.

About the session

This is not a traditional conference; it is an interactive, solutions-driven session, bringing together key telecoms and adjacent stakeholders to think beyond the possible—to think the Unthinkable. Through facilitated discussions, scenario mapping, and collaborative exercises, we will explore the fundamental shifts necessary to reshape the telecoms landscape.

Who should attend?

This Unthinkable Lab is designed for senior executives and decision-makers involved in strategy, policy, investment, and innovation within the telecoms sector, including:

• Telco CxOs, and technology, strategy, HR and regulatory teams: are we aware of the latest developments, and are our plans realistic and aligned with external developments as well as changes we can see internally?

• Technology vendors and infrastructure providers: do our customer understand where we are going and the benefits?

• Investors: how may the forces inter-relate and what should we look for?

• Regulators and Government: How will AI shape the telecom sector and how can we better steer it for the goals we have?

• Telecom users and representative groups: How does AI alter the relationship with telcos for enterprises & consumers?

• Industry analysts and consultants: participate and share your wisdom

Workshop format and agenda

The Unthinkable Lab will be a highly interactive session, limited to 30 participants to ensure meaningful discussions, networking, and engagement. Attendees are expected to participate throughout the full day.

Facilitators & Speakers

The Unthinkable Lab will be led by Dean Bubley and Andrew Collinson, seasoned analysts, strategists and facilitators in telecoms, technology policy, and business models. Together, we bring years of expertise in guiding disruptive discussions and fostering meaningful change in the industry.

We are independent thinkers and have frequently disagreed throughout 17 years of successfully working together. We believe that the skills and knowledge we’ve developed throughout our careers and in our unique working relationship can help to produce a different outcome for other industry stakeholders.

Dean is well known for his role as an active industry commentator and analyst through Disruptive Analysis, and via many industry events and online channels. He brings extensive knowledge of the European market, and global mobile, network and regulatory matters.

Andrew, now running Connective Insight, was previously Research Director at STL Partners, and specialises in stakeholder dynamics and strategy in connected technologies. He is also Associate Research Director at the CPaaS Acceleration Alliance.

Format and Compliance

The goal of the Unthinkable Lab is to discuss potentially challenging issues in a multi-stakeholder environment.

It will be held under the Chatham House rule and will not be recorded. Specific comments cannot be attributed to individuals or companies. We ask participants to act with tact and mutual respect.

We anticipate that our transparency and facilitation skills, the integrity of the participants and the wide range of stakeholders present, will ensure that Anti-Trust or other legal considerations will not be an issue. Any such considerations will be clarified, and at-risk discussions observed will be noted and immediately terminated.

Why attend?

· Explore new answers and possibilities to previously intractable challenges

· Engage with leading thinkers and decision-makers tackling telecoms' biggest challenges

· Debate transformative ideas in a candid, interactive setting

· Contribute to shaping the future of European telecoms strategy

· Build valuable connections with key industry stakeholders

This Unthinkable Lab is your opportunity to step beyond conventional wisdom and take part in defining the next era of telecoms.

Secure your place now – spaces are limited!