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v1·full day·Tier-1 Global Telcos·Telecom

Domain 1 of 10

AI Strategy & Investment Governance

StrategicThread T1

Walk me through how your AI investment thesis is articulated at the board level — specifically, how AI spending is differentiated from broader digital/IT capex and how the board holds leadership accountable for AI-specific outcomes.

How is AI investment tracked in your financial reporting?

How often does the board or EXCO review AI investment performance against defined KPIs?

Is there a board-approved AI strategy document with measurable objectives?

Do returns from deployed AI fund the next wave of AI investment (self-funding loop)?

StrategicThread T2

Describe how AI prioritization decisions are made when AI, 5G densification, and BSS/OSS modernization all compete for the same capital envelope. What governance mechanism breaks ties?

Is there a standardized business-case template used to evaluate AI investments?

Who decides when AI, network, and IT investments compete for the same capex envelope?

How often does AI capex get reallocated mid-cycle based on performance signals?

How many AI initiatives were delayed or deprioritized in favor of network/5G capex in the last 24 months?

OperationalThread T3

How is your AI Center of Excellence (or equivalent governing body) structured, and what is its authority relative to business-unit AI initiatives — specifically, can it veto, fund, or mandate AI programs?

Is there a formal AI CoE (or equivalent central governing body) with a defined charter?

What authority does the AI CoE have over business-unit AI initiatives?

Do BU AI leads have a functional reporting line into the CoE?

Does the CoE operate with its own P&L or value-attribution model (internal product-company mode)?

Interview memo

Headline themes · CIO quips · standout revelations — woven into the final narrative

Interview dateLocation / format

Executive memo

Three or four lines: dominant themes, standout quotes, surprising revelations. This gets woven into the dashboard narrative.

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Strategy

Consultant Context

AI Strategy & Investment Governance

StrategicThread 1 of 3

Segment calibration

Expect a separate AI budget line at this scale. Probe for whether AI ROI is tracked separately from network modernization.

Industry benchmark

Global telco AI spending reached $14.9B in 2024 and is projected at $38.8B by 2028 (CAGR ~27%). Fewer than 35% of Tier-1 operators report AI as a separately tracked capital allocation category at the board level. *(Source: Dell'Oro / Analysys Mason, 2025)*

Probing questions

If I asked your CFO today 'what's the ROI of our AI program' — would they have a number, or would they need to call someone?
Is AI spend explicitly differentiated from 5G/network modernization capex in board materials?
Show me the business case for your single largest AI initiative. What EBITDA or cost-to-serve metric does it target?

Evidence to request

Separate AI budget line item in annual operating plan
Board-approved AI strategy document with measurable objectives
Board/audit committee AI oversight charter with defined review cadence
AI ROI reinvestment model or self-funding mechanism documented
Most recent board AI review materials (last 2 quarters)