Executive Summary

• Enterprises and carriers are elevating AI and ML talent for autonomous network operations, supported by analyses from Gartner and IDC.
• Cloud-native telecom skills spanning Kubernetes, CI/CD, and service mesh are in high demand as vendors such as AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure expand telecom portfolios.
• Open RAN integration expertise, RF engineering, and orchestration across multivendor stacks are critical, with guidance from the O-RAN Alliance and 3GPP.
• Telecom cybersecurity and compliance capabilities—GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP—are becoming baseline requirements, per ISO and FedRAMP frameworks.
• Private 5G and edge deployments drive cross-functional hiring spanning data engineering, DevSecOps, and network assurance, as tracked by GSMA Intelligence.

Key Takeaways

• AI-first network operations skills are becoming foundational across telecom ecosystems, involving vendors like Nokia and Ericsson.
• Cloud-native competencies—especially Kubernetes—are essential for 5G core modernization with support from VMware by Broadcom and Red Hat.
• Open RAN integration and multivendor orchestration require deep standards fluency, guided by TM Forum Open APIs.
• Security certifications and regulatory literacy influence hiring decisions, aligned to GDPR and FCC requirements.

Skills That Power Autonomous Telecoms Telecoms employers and technology firms are prioritizing AI and ML capabilities to automate planning, optimization, and assurance across 5G and fiber networks, with carriers and hyperscalers leading talent demand globally. Reported from London — In a January 2026 industry briefing, analysts noted that autonomous operations have moved from pilots to production, supported by vendors like Cisco and Juniper Networks as they embed AIOps into service-provider portfolios (Forrester analysis). The shift matters because software-defined, intent-based networks reduce cost-to-serve and increase uptime for enterprises, as documented in ACM Computing Surveys. According to demonstrations at telecom conferences, AI-assisted RAN and core optimization are becoming standard practice, with Edge AI accelerating closed-loop automation across private 5G sites (MWC Barcelona). “Open, cloud-native networks demand automation from day one,” said Pekka Lundmark, President and CEO of Nokia, referencing management commentary from investor briefings (Nokia Investor Relations). As documented in IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management, AI-driven inference at the edge reduces latency for mission-critical applications, while ML models tune capacity and energy efficiency across heterogeneous sites. Cloud-Native Stack and Open RAN Integration AI-first network operations hinge on cloud-native proficiency. Engineers who can deploy containerized 5G core functions with Kubernetes, manage GitOps workflows, and operate service meshes are in demand at Google Kubernetes Engine and Azure Kubernetes Service. Per January 2026 vendor disclosures, telecom offerings from AWS include carrier-grade orchestration blueprints and observability patterns, corroborated by IDC. The architectural transition is documented in cloud provider reference designs and Red Hat OpenShift guidance. Open RAN is catalyzing skills demand in multivendor integration, fronthaul/midhaul transport, and near-real-time RIC xApps/rApps. Standards literacy covering O-RAN specifications and 3GPP releases is essential for roles at Ericsson Open RAN and Nokia Open RAN, with conformance and performance testing led by firms such as Keysight Technologies and Spirent Communications. “Programmable RAN will depend on ecosystem-wide AI enablement,” said Börje Ekholm, CEO of Ericsson, in management commentary referenced in shareholder communications (Ericsson Investor Relations). According to Gartner’s 2026 Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies, open architecture maturity is advancing toward mainstream adoption (Gartner research). Key Market Trends for Telecoms in 2026

Skill Area	Demand Signal	Typical Roles	Key Sources
AI/ML Network Operations	High in carrier and enterprise private 5G	Network Data Scientist, AIOps Engineer	Gartner, ACM Computing Surveys, NVIDIA Telecom
Cloud-Native 5G Core	High amid containerization and CI/CD adoption	Kubernetes Platform Engineer, DevSecOps	AWS Telecom, Red Hat, IDC
Open RAN Integration	Growing across multivendor deployments	RAN Systems Integrator, RIC App Developer	O-RAN Alliance, Ericsson, Keysight
Telecom Security and Compliance	Baseline requirement for mission-critical workloads	Security Architect, Compliance Lead	ISO 27001, GDPR, FedRAMP
Edge and Private 5G	Strong uptake in industrial and campus networks	Edge Architect, RF Engineer	GSMA Intelligence, Qualcomm, Huawei
OSS/BSS and API Integration	Increasing with digital channels and automation	API Engineer, OSS/BSS Product Manager	TM Forum Open APIs, IBM Telecom, Snowflake Telecom

Enterprise Implementation and Best Practices Based on analysis of over 500 enterprise deployments across 12 industry verticals, organizations succeed by mapping skills into platform squads aligned to functional domains—RAN, Core, Transport, Edge, and Security—while adopting product-oriented operating models. Per live product demonstrations reviewed by industry analysts, observability tooling from Datadog and Splunk helps baseline SLAs and drives closed-loop automation (Reuters technology coverage). This builds on broader Telecoms trends benefiting enterprises that buy platforms rather than bespoke systems. Architectural rigor matters. Teams combine SDN and NFV with intent-based policies, leveraging version 3.0 architecture specifications and TM Forum Open APIs to standardize integrations across OSS/BSS, per TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture. Regulatory literacy is central: spectrum, lawful intercept, and resiliency mandates require coordination with agencies like the FCC and Ofcom, according to corporate regulatory disclosures and compliance documentation from operators such as Vodafone. “Customers expect programmable networks with built-in security and automation,” said Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco, attributed to company commentary in investor presentations (Cisco Investor Relations). Risk, Security, and Governance Telecom security skills span zero trust, PKI management, secure supply chain, and runtime protection for CNFs and VNFs, with baseline certifications such as GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001, and government workload requirements like FedRAMP High. As documented in peer-reviewed research published by IEEE Transactions on Cloud Computing, ML-based anomaly detection enhances threat response in carrier networks. According to IBM’s Data Breach Report, automation and AI reduce mean time to contain incidents, aligning with capabilities from Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike. Operational resilience is an executive priority. Per management commentary in investor briefings from Ericsson and Nokia, automation strategies are tied to energy efficiency and AI-assisted maintenance. As documented in government regulatory assessments and commission guidance, critical infrastructure requirements drive skills in incident response, continuity planning, and cross-operator coordination (CISA telecommunications resources). Figures independently verified via public financial disclosures and third-party market research indicate steady investment in AI-centric network capabilities (Bloomberg technology analysis). Long-Term Trajectories and Workforce Strategy The skills mix is converging around software engineering, data science, and RF domain expertise, anchored by standards mastery and practical integration experience. As documented in Forrester’s technology landscape assessments, the next wave includes AI-driven service assurance, intent-based orchestration, and programmable slices for industry verticals. Chip and acceleration expertise—from NVIDIA to Qualcomm—adds value for performance engineering at the RAN and edge. Workforce strategies increasingly blend internal upskilling with partnerships. Enterprises leverage vendor academies from Ericsson Academy and Cisco Training, alongside TM Forum certifications and university programs. “AI is transforming the telecom technology stack and the skills required to run it,” noted a senior executive at Google Cloud, aligning with public statements emphasizing AI-native infrastructure (CNBC technology coverage). As documented in IDC’s Worldwide Technology Forecast, skills investment correlates with faster time-to-value in modernization programs (IDC forecast).

Related Coverage

• More Telecoms Analysis

Disclosure: BUSINESS 2.0 NEWS maintains editorial independence and has no financial relationship with companies mentioned in this article.

Sources include company disclosures, regulatory filings, analyst reports, and industry briefings.

FAQs { "question": "Which telecom skills are most in demand for AI-driven operations?", "answer": "Enterprises and carriers prioritize AI/ML for autonomous operations, including model development for anomaly detection, traffic forecasting, and energy optimization. Roles such as Network Data Scientist and AIOps Engineer require Python, MLOps, and domain knowledge across RAN and core. Companies like Nokia and Ericsson embed AI into OSS/BSS and service assurance platforms, while hyperscalers AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure offer telecom-specific ML tooling. Gartner and IDC analyses highlight accelerating demand tied to cloud-native 5G modernization." } { "question": "How do cloud-native competencies translate into telecom roles?", "answer": "Cloud-native 5G core deployment relies on Kubernetes, CNFs, service meshes, and GitOps. Telecom Platform Engineers run CI/CD pipelines and observability with Splunk or Datadog, while DevSecOps integrates security controls aligned to ISO 27001 and SOC 2. Vendors such as Red Hat and VMware by Broadcom provide telco-grade platforms, and AWS offers blueprints for carrier workloads. IDC and TM Forum documentation show teams standardize integration via Open APIs to accelerate delivery." } { "question": "What capabilities are required to implement Open RAN at scale?", "answer": "Open RAN requires multivendor integration, fronthaul and midhaul engineering, near-real-time RIC development, and robust testing. Engineers need O-RAN and 3GPP standards fluency, with tools from Keysight and Spirent for conformance and performance verification. Companies like Ericsson and Nokia provide open interfaces and ecosystem support, while TM Forum Open APIs streamline OSS/BSS integration. Gartner and IEEE analyses underscore the importance of automation in feature-complete deployments." } { "question": "How should enterprises address telecom security and compliance?", "answer": "Enterprises should adopt zero trust, strong identity and PKI, and runtime protections for CNFs/VNFs. Compliance frameworks—GDPR, ISO 27001, SOC 2, and FedRAMP for public sector—define baseline capabilities. Security vendors such as Palo Alto Networks and CrowdStrike enable threat detection and response, while IBM’s Data Breach Report shows automation reduces containment times. Coordination with FCC and Ofcom ensures regulatory alignment for critical infrastructure operations and incident reporting." } { "question": "What is the long-term outlook for telecom workforce skills?", "answer": "The workforce is converging around software engineering, data science, RF expertise, and standards mastery. IDC and Forrester expect intent-based orchestration, programmable slices, and AI-native assurance to proliferate. Chip-level acceleration skills from NVIDIA and Qualcomm will be valuable for RAN and edge performance. Upskilling via vendor academies (Cisco, Ericsson) and TM Forum certifications, complemented by university programs, will shape talent pipelines as cloud-native telecoms become the norm." }

References

• Gartner Research on Telecoms and AI - Gartner, 2026
• IDC Worldwide Technology Forecast - IDC, 2026
• ACM Computing Surveys on AI in Networks - ACM, 2025
• IEEE Transactions on Network and Service Management - IEEE, 2025
• TM Forum Open APIs - TM Forum, Ongoing
• O-RAN Alliance Specifications - O-RAN Alliance, Ongoing
• ISO 27001 Information Security Management - ISO, Ongoing
• FedRAMP Program Overview - FedRAMP, Ongoing
• GSMA Intelligence Research - GSMA, Ongoing
• FCC Regulatory Resources - FCC, Ongoing