People’s appetite for AI appears to be insatiable. In recent months, there has been a proliferation in the number of consumer-centric AI solutions on offer by telcos, aiming to build new revenue streams or support loyalty for their existing services.

Telco GenAI tools for consumers are proliferating

This report explores telecom operators’ efforts in consumer AI applications. It digs deeper into the insights from the Telco generative AI adoption tracker, identifies emerging patterns and provides recommendations for telcos on what areas to focus on and where to look for inspiration.

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We have identified 64 consumer AI tools launched by 21 telcos worldwide by May 2025.

Digital assistants of various sorts dominate telcos’ efforts. Most are part of AI-centric phone projects or entertainment solutions (predominantly paid TV or streaming video subscriptions).

A significant number of applications are in the area of cybersecurity. These are typically related to modern scam or fraud detection.

There is also significant activity, especially among Asian operators, in the field of AI-based video and image generation. Some of these are part of extended reality experiences, while others are linked to celebrities or cultural experiences.

Consumer AI applications offered by telcos

AI applications for consumers have been launched by telcos in many markets, but South Korea and China have emerged as the most active ones, thanks to the scale of their telcos, their early start with AI and the lack of strong pure AI players in these countries early on.

In our analysis, we identify the most active operators, look at the most common current efforts in detail and discuss how these efforts will be monetised.

We provide recommendations for telcos looking for expand their consumer product propositions in the area of GenAI tools.

Table of contents

• Executive summary
• GenAI solutions for consumers: Key applications and product areas
• Digital assistants
• Other AI applications for consumers

Related research

• Sovereign AI: A strategic playbook
• Did the telecom AI era dawn in Copenhagen?
• Telco generative AI adoption tracker
• Connect and protect: Telcos’ avenues of growth in consumer cybersecurity

Marina Koytcheva

Marina Koytcheva

Director, Research

Marina works across STL Partners’ research portfolio, with a specific focus on the Executive Briefing Service, consumer services and sustainability. She joined STL Partners in 2023 with 18 years of experience as a market analyst, first at Nokia, and then at CCS Insight where she led the market forecasting practice across all technology areas and modelled the impact of major global disruptions. She has wide expertise across telecoms, hyperscalers, device markets, consumer behaviour, and the impact of macroeconomic factors on the tech industry. Marina holds an MSc in Finance and Economics, and an MBA.