We keep our ear to the ground for the interesting stats, insights and discussion points you need to feel in the know to shape the future with confidence.

1. Lost signal

Networks are the invisible systems that keep our phones, internet, apps, and streaming services running. When something breaks, teams behind the scenes have to fix it fast. Networks aren’t broken because they lack data. They’re broken because people can’t make sense of it fast enough. Today’s networks throw thousands of alarms at engineers across wireless, fiber and cable. Instead of fixing problems, teams spend hours sorting alerts. Filtering noise isn’t enough anymore. When something breaks at 2 a.m., engineers need to know who’s affected, what it costs, what to do next and who owns it and fast. The future of network operations is all about clearer context, delivered when it matters most.

MWC 2026: Why agentic AI is the future of network operations

2. Under the wire

Enterprise tech budgets are still growing at close to double digits, but buying decisions feel very different this year. Security has jumped to the top of the list as cyber spend climbs more than 14%, and geopolitics have turned data control into a leadership level issue. That helps explain why 77% of companies are rethinking suppliers and why over half plan to invest in sovereign cloud. In that context, telcos start to look less like utilities and more like steady hands in an unpredictable market.

How telcos can transform their B2B growth outlook

3. AI just clocked in

AI has officially left the lab and gone to work. Europe’s push to go “AI‑first” signals a clear shift: artificial intelligence is core infrastructure. Nowhere is this more obvious than in telecom, media and technology. The industries that already run on massive amounts of data. For them, AI doesn’t change the mission, it accelerates it, making networks smarter, content richer, and services faster. The real challenge now is having the skills, computing power and coordination to scale AI safely. Get that right, and AI becomes Europe’s competitive edge.

AI in TMT: Europe’s moment to lead responsibly

4. Old lessons, new machines

Every era gets the education system it needs or the one it forgets to update. Two hundred years ago, George Birkbeck helped workers survive the Industrial Revolution by teaching practical skills for a machine-powered world. Today, AI is triggering a disruption just as big. Algorithms can already write, code and diagnose faster than humans, forcing a rethink of what learning is for. Memorization matters less. Judgment, creativity and ethics matter more. Governments and educators now face a Birkbeck-sized challenge: how to prepare people for jobs that don’t fully exist yet, alongside machines that already outperform us. Knowledge is still power but knowing how to use it is what will set humans apart.

History lessons for better public policy: how to create an AI-ready education system

5. Dynamic duo

It’s no secret that work is looking a little different. AI copilots are helping people think faster, robots are adding strength and precision and the real magic happens when humans and machines work together. In fact, blended teams are already outperforming traditional ones by more than two times. That’s exciting, and a little unnerving. As capabilities scale, leaders are grappling with new questions about fairness, trust and talent. Turns out the future of work isn’t human versus machine, it’s figuring out how to share the keyboard.

How emerging technologies are enabling the human-machine hybrid economy

If you do one thing:

Let AI tell you what’s broken, who it hit, and what to fix… fast.