How Telstra drives network leadership and product innovation with AI-powered resilience

In this CIO Edge presentation, Telstra leaders reveal how it manages 100 million daily network events, blending AI and human oversight to shape resilient, future-ready systems.

Nathan Gumley, Group Owner Strategy & Transformation, and Channa Seneviratne, Technology Engagement & Advancement Executive Global Networks & Technology, explain how Telstra is positioning itself at the forefront of network leadership and product innovation.

They’re using AI to transform static, manually optimised systems into dynamic, intent-based networks.

The company views “network as a product” as a key lever for reshaping customer experiences, enabling new commercial models, and preparing for emerging technologies such as 6G. Like many organisations,

Telstra recognises that successful AI adoption is not just a technology challenge but also a people and culture journey.

As ADAPT data shows, most organisations are still struggling with AI readiness: 76% of CISOs say their firms are not prepared, while 72% of data leaders report that AI has failed to deliver ROI.

Telstra’s response has been to embed architectural discipline across IT and networks, appointing a single chief architect to ensure coherence and scalability.

The scale of the challenge is immense.

Telstra processes around 100 million network events daily and distinguishing which events require action is a complex undertaking.

By applying traditional AI techniques such as anomaly detection and machine learning, coupled with knowledge graphs and contextual network topology, the company has developed predictive monitoring and self-healing capabilities.

However, as the executives acknowledged, this remains a work in progress.

Human oversight is still required, and full closed-loop automation has not yet been achieved. This reflects the broader industry reality that 88% of leaders stress the need for human checks on AI-driven decisions.

Nonetheless, Telstra’s journey illustrates the path towards more autonomous, resilient networks.

The shift from manual optimisation to self-healing orchestration is laying the foundation for future AI integration at scale.

With a disciplined architectural approach, a blend of centralised orchestration and bounded contexts, and investment in both technology and people, Telstra is demonstrating how network innovation can underpin enterprise transformation.

The company’s experience reinforces ADAPT’s observation that AI value will be unlocked not through isolated projects but via scalable, well-governed platforms that combine productivity gains, customer experience improvements, and risk management.

Key takeaways:

• AI-driven networks are essential but complex: Telstra processes around 100 million network events daily, using machine learning, anomaly detection, and knowledge graphs to enable predictive monitoring and self-healing—though full closed-loop automation still requires human oversight.
• Architecture and governance underpin success: A single chief architect now oversees both IT and networks, ensuring disciplined design, bounded contexts, and orchestration rules that allow scalability and resilience.
• Transformation is as much cultural as technical: Shifting from manual optimisation to intent-based, autonomous networks requires not only advanced AI but also new skills, collaboration, and mindset change across the organisation.