An article by Telecom Review Asia. 

The Asia-Pacific telecommunications industry is entering a new phase in which artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond customer-service chatbots and predictive analytics toward the core of network operations. AI-driven networks can increasingly detect faults, optimize capacity, predict congestion, automate configuration and, eventually, make decisions with limited human intervention.

The question is no longer whether Asia-Pacific operators will adopt network automation, but how quickly they can progress toward fully autonomous networks. On this front, the region is not moving at one speed; its leading markets are already building many of the foundations, while emerging markets are rapidly closing the gap.

The State of Autonomy in APAC

Asia-Pacific operators have emerged as global frontrunners in the industry’s push toward Level 4 (L4) autonomous networks, but “ready” still means different things across domains and markets.

China Mobile had become the first network operator to bring L4 autonomous network capabilities to eight key scenarios. Four of these focus on ToB service provisioning, including 5G private networks, cloud private lines, data private lines and internet private lines, while the remaining four cover network change monitoring across core, cloud, transport and IP networks.

In October 2025, Malaysia’s Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) achieved L4 autonomy for 5G Service Assurance, demonstrating the network’s ability to independently monitor, analyze and optimize performance with minimal human intervention. The validated Throughput Management capability had already been active on DNB’s network for two years, supporting more reliable and differentiated connectivity across Malaysia’s 5G Advanced network.

In February 2026, Rakuten Mobile reported achieving L4 autonomy for RAN energy-efficiency optimization in a live Open RAN environment in Japan. Developed with Rakuten Symphony, the Autonomous Energy Efficiency solution uses AI and machine learning to analyze network performance, identify traffic patterns and anticipate future cell demand, enabling the network to make real-time energy-saving decisions without human supervision.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s AIS achieved Level 3 autonomy in fault management and customer-complaint management in 2023 and was working toward Level 3.5 as part of its longer-term transition to L4 autonomous networks. The operator reported that its autonomous-network capabilities had improved customer experience by 10%, reduced traffic loss by 80% in extreme scenarios and increased network efficiency by more than 20%.

Despite these gains, progress is domain-specific. Full network-wide autonomy requires trusted AI reasoning over live digital twins and cross-domain orchestration—capabilities still being piloted, not regionally deployed.

Although, the opportunity is substantial. The GSMA estimates that mobile technologies and services contributed USD 950 billion to the Asia Pacific’s economy in 2024, equivalent to 5.6% of regional GDP. That contribution is expected to reach USD 1.4 trillion by 2030, driven in part by 5G, AI, and other digital technologies. Operators invested nearly USD 220 billion in 5G networks between 2019 and 2024, with another USD 254 billion planned through 2030.

A Regional Race with Different Starting Points

The strongest candidates for autonomous-network leadership are concentrated in North-East Asia and a handful of advanced Asia-Pacific markets.

China has perhaps the strongest infrastructure foundation. Ericsson reports that China ended 2025 with 1.2 billion 5G subscriptions, with approximately 70% of mobile data traffic carried over 5G. More than two million 5G sites had been upgraded for RedCap, while 5G-Advanced was available nationwide.

The country’s enormous network scale provides an ideal environment for AI-driven optimization. China’s three major telecom operators, China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom, have also been experimenting with AI models, including integrating DeepSeek into their technology stacks. Combined with significant investment in AI computing infrastructure, this gives China a strong platform for moving from automated networks toward increasingly autonomous operations.

South Korea is similarly well positioned. North-East Asia recorded 60% 5G subscription penetration at the end of 2025, with three major markets exceeding 65%. South Korean operators are simultaneously expanding coverage, improving network performance, and preparing networks for the AI era.

South Korea also has an increasingly structured AI regulatory environment. Its comprehensive AI Basic Act took effect in January 2026, establishing rules around high-risk AI, transparency, and safety while supporting AI industry development. This combination of advanced networks, strong technology companies, and formal AI governance could make Korea one of the region’s earliest markets for trusted autonomous telecom operations.

Small Market, High Readiness

Singapore offers a different model. It lacks China’s scale but compensates with advanced infrastructure, strong digital governance, and a highly coordinated technology ecosystem.

The country is already among APAC’s most mature 5G markets. GSMA data shows that 5G was approaching mass-market adoption in Singapore, alongside Australia, Japan, and South Korea, by 2025.

Singapore is also strengthening AI adoption. IMDA reported that AI adoption among SMEs increased from 4.2% in 2023 to 14.5% in 2024, while adoption among non-SMEs rose from 44% to 62.5%. In 2026, the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) launched a National AI Impact Program to help 10,000 enterprises over three years and train 100,000 workers to be “AI-bilingual.”

For autonomous networks, this policy environment matters. Network autonomy requires more than algorithms; operators need clear rules governing data, accountability, cybersecurity, and automated decisions.

Strong Foundations, Different Challenges

Australia is another leading candidate. Its operators are moving toward 5G-Advanced and autonomous-network capabilities, while enterprise connectivity is becoming more sophisticated. Ericsson identifies Australia as progressing toward 5G-Advanced and autonomous networks, including service-level-agreement-backed connectivity for mission-critical enterprise workloads.

Australia’s telecom sector is already applying AI to network resilience. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) says operators, such as Telstra and Optus, are using AI to predict faults, automate recovery, and detect scams in real time.

Japan has equally strong technological infrastructure but faces more mixed AI adoption. Japanese operators, such as SoftBank and NTT DOCOMO, are increasing AI investment, while 5G standalone progress is improving consumer experiences. However, according to a Reuters survey, more than 80% of Japanese companies had not fully integrated AI, with only 16% reporting company-wide use.

The Next Wave

India demonstrates how rapidly an emerging market can advance. By February 2025, 5G services were available in 99.6% of India’s districts, with 469,000 5G base stations deployed. The government also reported 250 million 5G users at the time. India has therefore established a remarkably broad 5G foundation in a short period.

The next challenge is transforming scale into intelligence. India’s enormous network footprint, strong software sector, and growing AI capabilities could make it an important testbed for automated network management, particularly where AI can reduce operating costs and improve rural connectivity.

Southeast Asia presents a similarly encouraging picture, although, maturity varies considerably. Southeast Asia and Oceania will reach around 670 million 5G subscriptions by 2031, driven by rapid 5G expansion in Vietnam, differentiated 5G services in Thailand, growing enterprise applications in Singapore, and additional spectrum in Indonesia that could accelerate deployment.

Autonomy Will Be a Journey, Not a Switch

The data suggests that Asia-Pacific operators are not yet uniformly ready for fully autonomous networks, but many are ready for the next stages of autonomy.

The region’s most advanced markets already possess the essential ingredients: extensive 5G infrastructure, AI investment, and increasingly sophisticated regulatory frameworks. Emerging markets are adding those capabilities at impressive speed.

The bigger opportunity is that autonomous networks can become an efficiency engine for the region. AI can help operators manage rapidly growing traffic without proportionally increasing operational complexity, detect failures before customers experience them, and dynamically allocate resources according to demand.

The result could be an APAC telecom landscape where autonomous networks are not simply a futuristic concept, but a gradual evolution of how connectivity is designed, managed, and monetized.

*This article was first published on Telecom Review Asia Pacific.