103 “ We’ve created agents that are subject-matter experts” RICK LIEVANO, MICROSOFT MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS For telecom operators, running a modern network has always been a question of scale. But as data demand accelerates and infrastructure expands, the challenge is as much about coordination as capacity. Across fibre, core and 5G networks, operational models have traditionally relied on large teams of engineers to monitor performance, troubleshoot issues and manage repairs. However, as networks grow ever more quickly in both size and complexity, that model is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain. According to Rick Lievano, worldwide chief technology officer for telecommunications at Microsoft, the industry is now undergoing a fundamental shift. “Telecom operators are looking to move from traditionally managed, very operationally heavy networks to something far more autonomous,” he says. That shift is being driven by advances in generative and agentic AI, which are enabling operators to move beyond static, rules-based automation. “In the past, automation was very much ‘if this happens, then do that’,” says Lievano. “Now we have the ability to use generative reasoning to make better decisions based on context, and to automate in ways that are much closer to how a human would operate.” The transition is not a single leap, but a structured journey towards autonomy. The industry framework defined by TM Forum outlines a progression from manual operations – level 0 – through assisted and partially autonomous environments, to fully autonomous networks – level 5 – where systems can self-heal and self-optimise and humans provide final approval and accountability. While full autonomy remains an ambition rather than a reality, Microsoft has been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the management of its own Microsoft Azure network. With more than 600,000 kilometres of fibre optic and undersea cables and over 400 data centres in operation around the world, the network has been undergoing rapid expansion. To keep up, Microsoft’s network operations team has turned to AI agents to manage, troubleshoot and coordinate repairs. These agents have been embedded directly into everyday workflows as what it describes as digital co-workers. Rather than building a single, monolithic AI system, the company has developed a line-up of specialised agents. “We realised early on that one big copilot wasn’t the right approach,” explains Lievano. “Instead, we’ve created agents that are subjectmatter experts, modelled after a specific job role. An agent called Paul, for example, is a support engineer, who understands every piece of equipment we have deployed. Niobe, meanwhile, is a network operations centre manager who assigns cases, analyses reports and triages open cases.” Another example is Miles, the agent responsible for managing fibre repair workflows. When an issue is detected, Miles identifies the location of the fault, determines the appropriate repair partner, and contacts them to dispatch a field crew. It continues to track progress, request updates and validate the repair once completed, ensuring that the issue is fully resolved. “Today, Miles handles around 98 per cent of fibre outages,” says Denizcan Billor, engineering leader at Microsoft. “It’s effectively doing the Microsoft has transformed the management of its Azure network of fibre optic and undersea cables and data centres with the deployment of AI agents – and is helping telecom operators do the same BY ALEX SMITH
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