For decades, telecommunications companies have been the quiet power behind the world’s digital transformation. They connect billions, fuel global commerce, and enablenearly everymodern convenience. Yet despite that foundational role, telcos have often struggled to capture the consumer imaginationor command the kind of loyalty enjoyed by tech and social media brands built on top of their networks.
Today, two converging forcescan changethe equation: the rise of the creator economy and the rapid maturation of artificial intelligence. Together, theyrepresenta once-in-a-generation opportunity for telcos to reinvent themselvesnot just as providers of connectivity, but as platforms for community and innovation.
The Loyalty Challenge
Telecom has become a victim of its own success.Nearly everymarket is saturated. Consumers have endless options, minimal switching costs, and little reason to stay loyal to any one provider.Our study has shown that consumers trust telcos with their most sensitive data,yet two-thirds will still switch providers within five years.Foryounger generations especially, telcos are utilities:reliable, necessary, but forgettable.
But the same companies that built the infrastructure for the digital age can build the infrastructure for relevance. The question is no longer whether connectivitymatters,it’show to make it matter more.
From Commodities to Communities
The creator economy, projected toreach nearly$480 billion by 2027, is reshaping how people engage with brands.Authenticity and affinity now drive purchasing decisions more than advertising and price.This evolution presents a major opportunity for telcos. By partnering with creators, influencers, and purpose-driven brands, they can transform basic subscription plans into co-branded, community-driven experiences.This is the essence of creator economy.
Imagine mobile offerings that go beyond dataplans,wherefans subscribe to theirfavoritemusician’s mobile community, or gamers join networks designed around shared interests. Each plan could include exclusive content, community access, and premiumperksthat reflect the user’s lifestyle and identity.For creators,it’sa new monetization channel and a deeper bond with their audience. For telcos,it’sa path to differentiation and emotionalconnection:away to move from selling services to selling belonging.
The payoff is significant. These models can command premium pricing, reduce churn, and reposition telecom brands from functional to aspirational. In a marketplace defined by sameness, community becomes the ultimate competitive edge.
The Next Frontier: AI Aggregation
While many industries are still exploring how AI fits into their strategy, telcos already hold three critical advantages: massive user bases, granular customer data, and deep trust built over decades of service.Thiscombination positions them uniquely to become AI aggregators– bringing together support,servicesand devices thatthat help consumers simplify and secure their digital lives.
Imagine a telco app with an integrated AI assistant that can manage plans,optimizebills, and recommend new services. Or a curated marketplace offering vetted third-party AI toolsfrom productivity apps to parental controls,all accessible under one trusted brand.Telcos can also explore moving deeper into the value chain, beyond services into AI-powered devices. This would entail partnering or building AI-first consumer hardware (e.g., smart phones, wearables) pre-integrated with telco’s AI ecosystem.
This model allows telcos toleveragetheir infrastructure and trust to build entirely new value chains around personalization, security, and convenience. The opportunityisn’tto build every AI toolthemselvesbutto become the platform that brings the best ones together.
Done right, AI aggregation can open new revenue streams, reinforce loyalty, and reposition telcos as leaders in digitalengagementnotjust infrastructure.
Competing on More Than Connectivity
The traditional growth playbook for telecom is exhausted. High penetration, flat pricing, andfleetingloyalty demand a new path forward. The future will belong to those who compete on connection, not just connectivity.Community networks and AI aggregationaren’tjust tactical methods;they’restrategicdrivers for the next decade. They give telcos the chance toparticipatein the culture of their customers, not just the consumption.
As AI reshapes industries and creators redefine influence, telcos have everything they need tolead;scale, data, and trust.What’smissingis the drive to differentiate themselvesin the market, thespeedtoinnovate andthe willingness to act like the digital brands that once disrupted them.
The platforms that will define digital life in the next decade are being built today. Telcos already have the infrastructure.It’stime they claimed the influence too.
The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs ofFortune.
