Dell CTO: AI at the Edge Will Transform UK Telecoms

As the telecommunications industry undergoes rapid transformation, Dell Technologies is positioning itself at the forefront of AI and edge computing integration. 

The company's Telecom Systems Business is currently envisioning a future where UK telecom providers leverage AI to enhance network performance, enable predictive maintenance and unlock new revenue streams. This is a significant strategic shift, which comes as the UK ramps up its connectivity ventures, including the designation of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). In doing this, Dell is eager to see a future that provides a secure foundation for technological advancement across multiple industries.

Mobile Magazine speaks to Manish Singh, CTO Telecom Systems Business at Dell Technologies, about how edge computing and AI will revolutionise network performance and create new opportunities within the industry. 

Please introduce yourself and your role at Dell Technologies

I’m currently the CTO of Telecom Systems Business at Dell Technologies. Before joining Dell, I was at Meta, where I led the Wireless Ecosystems Program for Open RAN and Open Core Networks. I’ve also been heavily involved with O-RAN Alliance and TIP (Telecom Infra Project). I currently serve on the ATIS Board. For three consecutive years, I also served on the Board of Small Cell Forum. 

The Dell Technologies Telecom Systems Business (TSB) plays a significant role in transforming the telecommunications industry by providing innovative and scalable solutions designed to enhance network cloud transformation and customer engagement.

Our expertise combines IT and telecom knowledge, enabling communications service providers to integrate advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning and cloud-based solutions. 

My role is to look at what’s on the horizon for the wireless industry and ensure TSB is prepared to address the needs of our customers today and in the future.

How do you strengthen your team? What skills have you had to hone to do this?

I operate with a high span of influence, aligning cross-functional teams from product management to marketing to sales and supporting them as they ramp up on AI solutions. 

Internally, our team is engaged in comprehensive AI training to acquire new skills. Externally, I’m working with leading academia and researchers on wireless technologies, with an emphasis on AI and the impact of AI on the wireless domain. We’re also actively partnering across a broad ecosystem that includes silicon and model providers, customers and developers of AI use cases to build a robust AI ecosystem. 

Our ongoing focus is how we build the right set of telecom use cases and solutions around the Dell AI Factory, to help our customers derive value from that technology.

Tell us about the transformative potential of AI at the edge for the UK telecom sector?

Most data is created in the real world, or at the edge. What we’re seeing is that more and more applications are coming to the edge because that’s where the data is. Communications service providers have a unique opportunity to meaningfully insert themselves into the AI value chain by bringing AI to their edge real estate, unlocking new possibilities for telecommunications and enterprises.

Integrating AI into telecommunications also unlocks the ability to improve network performance and reliability. By leveraging the power of machine learning (ML) to decipher massive volumes of network data, AI can pinpoint and resolve performance bottlenecks in real-time. This translates to shorter delays, reduced latency and more intelligent resource allocation. 

As a result, this delivers smoother and more reliable end-user experiences - especially when relying on data-intensive applications for important everyday tasks.

But AI is not just a performance booster. This emerging technology also helps to enable better network maintenance by predicting and preventing issues before they arise. AI algorithms can, for instance, help foresee equipment failures - enabling proactive maintenance that reduces downtime, cuts costs and offers consistent customer experience.

Can you speak about the UK market in particular?

UK telecoms face specific challenges and opportunities in the age of AI and edge computing. Once UK telecoms have begun deploying AI-ready infrastructure, they can offer high-performance inferencing services at the network edge and respond to rising demand for low latency and efficient AI processing.

This strategic position allows them to enhance their existing network capabilities and tap into the growing market of AI-powered solutions, including sovereign AI model training and optimisation. The pervasiveness of networks, combined with the increasing need for localised AI processing, presents a significant business opportunity for telecommunication companies to become key players in the AI ecosystem.

However, achieving this vision requires successfully navigating the complexities of AI infrastructure with careful consideration of the intricacies and limitations of AI models. Balancing the demands of training and inferencing with constraints like power, cooling and physical space is crucial for optimal performance and deployment at any network location.

Concrete examples of how telecoms can harness AI at the edge to deliver exceptional customer experiences, optimise network operations and drive new revenue streams.

This is an area of discovery for the industry. More work needs to be done as telecom operators engage with different industry verticals to define use cases, while also keeping data sovereignty and data privacy top of mind.

How will this convergence solidify the UK's position as a global leader in the future of telecoms?

We have already seen how the combination of AI and edge computing drives unprecedented innovation across a range of industries – from manufacturing and healthcare to finance and retail. 

Since edge computing and AI rely so heavily on a strong backbone of data centres, the UK's recent move to give data centres Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) status will be particularly significant for providing the telecom industry with a robust, secure foundation for its continued investment into the technology and growth as a global leader.

In the UK's manufacturing industry, real-time sensor data analysis by edge AI can help streamline production processes and reduce downtime. Meanwhile, for the retail sector, it allows businesses to personalise shopping experiences, monitoring customer behaviour data to deliver tailored recommendations and promotions. 

The healthcare sector can also benefit from edge computing and AI, with the ability to process patient data from wearables and medical devices in real time and enable proactive interventions that improve health outcomes. 

The success of AI at the edge in these sectors demonstrates just how essential it is for the UK telecoms industry to continue providing the infrastructure and services that make transformation possible. By embracing these emerging technologies, telecoms providers in the UK can drive technological advancement and stay ahead of global competition. 

What does 2025 hold for you and Dell Technologies?

Technology is evolving at a rapid pace. We’re seeing rapid advancements in silicon, in networking technology, in AI models and agents and more. Staying on top of that is a challenge that everyone faces. 

With the unprecedented rate of change, you also need to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Stay curious and engage with researchers, academia, industry thought leaders, partners and customers to collaboratively craft impactful solutions for the industry.

The most compelling driver of network cloud transformation will be for telecom operators to capitalise on the many opportunities presented by AI. We will continue to focus on helping communications service providers build cloud-native networks and use AI both in and on the network so they can participate meaningfully in the new AI value chain. 

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