The AI-powered automation shift is transforming how networks operate – making them faster, more resilient, and more capable of defending against advanced threats in real time.
Dr. Srinivas Bhattiprolu, Vice President of Pre-Sales and Advanced Consulting Services at Nokia, has unpacked the findings of Nokia’s new regional report, unveiling expert insights into how telecom infrastructure is evolving to become the frontline of cyber defence, which isn’t just a technical upgrade, but a fundamental change in how Australia’s digital infrastructure is secured and managed, affecting businesses of every size.
In 2025, we’re seeing:
– A rapid move from reactive to proactive, self-healing networks.
– Automation enabling ultra-fast service rollouts and recovery after outages or attacks.
– Networks that can detect, isolate, and mitigate security incidents autonomously.
One example Nokia shares is its partnership with Telstra, which reduced service orchestration times from weeks to 48 hours while embedding autonomous security capabilities, with Nokia reporting similar changes underway across multiple operators in Australia, driven by the region’s increasing cyber threat levels and demand for always-on, critical infrastructure.
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So, without further ado, here is our Q&A with Dr Srinivas Bhattiprolu!
What are the biggest new cybersecurity threats facing Australian telecom networks in 2025?
The threat landscape has really shifted with AI-powered phishing and deepfakes making scams far more convincing by using email, voice and video impersonation to bypass traditional defences. Ransomware remains a top concern especially double-extortion campaigns and supply-chain compromises that slip in through fake invoices or compromised vendors.
At the same time, IoT-driven DDoS attacks are disrupting services at scale, and insider threats have tripled in the past year with many of them linked to state-sponsored groups. The popularity of message apps such as WhatsApp and Signal for corporate communications also raises sovereignty risks, and telecom operators themselves are increasingly targeted through supplier chains.
We also need to be looking ahead to quantum risks Attackers are already stealing encrypted data today to decrypt later when quantum computing matures.
How has the rise in high-profile breaches changed the security priorities of Australian telcos?
High-profile data breaches have elevated cybersecurity to a board-level concern. It’s now recognized as an enterprise-wide risk requiring strategic oversight and governance from the highest levels of leadership.
Telecom operators are adopting an “assume breach” mindset with heavy focus on rapid detection, automation, and response. New regulations are also reshaping priorities, requiring ransomware reporting, incident disclosure, and compliance with IoT security standards.
Building trust with customers has become central, driving clearer communication, transparency, and crisis readiness. At the same time, cybersecurity budgets are growing, with more funding for technology, talent, and external expertise.
Finally, telecom operators are putting greater emphasis on data governance and infrastructure resilience, while embedding security into digital transformation initiatives to ensure new platforms and AI-driven services are secure by design.
What’s driving the shift to AI-powered automation in networks across Australia?
The push toward AI-powered automation is being driven by a mix of efficiency, resilience, customer expectations, and competitive pressure. Our internal analysis show that AI could help reduce network incidents by roughly a third through proactive maintenance and optimization. Many CSPs are also using AI to automate repetitive IT and customer service tasks as part of broader workforce transformation strategies.
Resilience is another driver. For example, Telstra’s “Connected Future 30” strategy is built around autonomous, self-optimising networks to secure long-term growth. On the customer side, AI chatbots are now handling a majority of routine queries in multiple languages, while AI-enabled personalization delivers more relevant offers and support.
Security and compliance are equally important. AI-enhanced monitoring allows real-time detection of threats before they disrupt services, while distributed AI and edge computing are helping address data sovereignty and privacy requirements.
Finally, AI is becoming essential to meet the demands of next-generation services like 6G, autonomous vehicles, and immersive applications. Telecom operators across Asia Pacific recognize that without AI, they risk losing competitiveness. This is why we’re seeing a surge in joint ventures and alliances such as AI-RAN, aimed at building standardised, AI-driven orchestration across telecom networks.
How does automation improve performance, resilience, and cyber defence for businesses?
Automation is now central to how businesses run and protect their networks. It improves performance by streamlining operations, can significantly reduce network incidents, accelerates processes from hours to minutes, and lowers operating costs.
It also strengthens resilience. Automated recovery restores services in minutes rather than days, predictive analytics can prevent most outages, and telco-grade automation supports five-9s uptime.
In cybersecurity, automation enables real-time threat detection and rapid response. It can dramatically cut breach detection times, contain ransomware in seconds, and simplify compliance reporting by removing much of the manual preparation work.
For customers, automation means faster service and better personalization. AI assistants now resolve most frontline queries and provide 24/7 support. At the same time, automation is preparing networks for the future, from 5G and IoT to 6G and edge services, creating new opportunities for growth.
Can you share examples from Australia where automation shortened response and recovery times?
We are already seeing strong results from automation across Australia.
Many Security Operations Centers (SOCs) are using AI-driven threat detection and autonomous response. This approach can dramatically improve response times and reduce the volume of false positives, freeing teams to focus on serious threats.
At Telstra, the cybersecurity services team now offers retainer-based CERT support with automated alert triage, targeting a one-hour response time.
It shows how automation is not just theory – it’s delivering measurable improvements in speed, resilience, and security today.
How does Australia compare globally in deploying autonomous, AI-driven network security?
Australia is making real progress in deploying AI-driven network security. Major operators are moving beyond pilots and using automation, AIOps, and even generative AI in daily operations. The country also has a strong research base, with CSIRO, universities, and startups driving applied innovation.
Globally, Australia ranks first among G20 countries in the Cyber Defense Index, showing strong infrastructure, policy, and governance. But it comes in ninth for cybersecurity resources, which highlights the need for more investment in technology and enforcement.
The broader market is also expanding quickly. AI in cybersecurity was worth just over USD 230 million last year and is expected to grow sixfold by 2030.
For Australia, the opportunity is to accelerate adoption across critical networks by deepening industry–government collaboration and scaling proven initiatives more rapidly.
What are the main challenges in maturing automation and autonomous security locally?
The biggest hurdles are around integration, skills, and trust. Many organisations still face data silos and legacy systems, which limit visibility and make automation harder to deploy. There is also a talent gap and some cultural resistance, which slows adoption.
Operationally, false positives and misaligned processes can disrupt workflows, while automation itself brings new security risks such as adversarial attacks. Finally, high upfront costs and unclear ROI often delay wider rollout.
The way forward is phased adoption: telecom operators should centralize logs, gradually modernize infrastructure, train teams, and start with pilots that deliver measurable results.
How are SMEs and smaller enterprises benefiting from AI-enabled telecom infrastructure?
AI-enabled telecom services are levelling the playing field for smaller businesses that don’t have big IT teams. They benefit from better performance and reliability, since AI can optimize traffic and predict issues before they cause downtime. This means consistent connectivity without the need for in-house network engineers.
Security is also strengthened as AI detects and responds to threats automatically, protecting SMEs from cyberattacks without the cost of full-time security staff.
AI brings cost efficiency too. Scalable capacity and pay-as-you-grow models keep capital and operating expenses low, while automated provisioning and troubleshooting simplify and speed up tasks so you’re less reliant on IT support.
Finally, network analytics and IoT management give SMEs insights to make smarter, data-driven decisions and support their digital transformation journeys. In short, AI-powered telecom infrastructure gives smaller enterprises enterprise-grade performance, security, and agility at a fraction of the traditional cost.
What role does industry-wide collaboration play in strengthening national cyber resilience?
Collaboration is critical because no single organisation can defend against today’s cyber threats alone. Sharing threat intelligence helps detect attacks earlier and reduces duplication of effort, creating a national early warning system. Standardisation and best practices ensure a consistent level of protection across industries, reducing vulnerabilities in the broader ecosystem.
When incidents occur, coordinated response mechanisms enable faster recovery and help prevent cascading effects across critical infrastructure. Collaboration also extends to innovation and resource pooling, where shared R&D and tools give even smaller organisations access to advanced capabilities.
On the policy side, alignment between industry and regulators leads to more practical, enforceable rules. And finally, cyber awareness and training programs raise the baseline of knowledge, reduce human error, and create a stronger culture of security across the workforce.
Looking ahead, what innovations or policy shifts will define the next phase of telecom automation in Australia?
The next phase of telecom automation in Australia will be shaped both by technology and regulations.
On the technology front, autonomous, AI-augmented networks are becoming central. Telstra is investing more than AUD 3Billion annually in AI and network automation to build self-optimising networks. The goals are to improve performance, reduce downtime, and support new technologies like autonomous vehicles.
Another innovation is the expansion of private 5G networks, supported by the ACMA’s reassessment of spectrum allocation. This opens the door for high-reliability, low-latency connectivity tailored to industries like mining, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing.
Additionally, AI-ready data centres are emerging. Providers such as Macquarie Data Centres are developing facilities optimized for AI workloads fuelling large-scale applications in analytics, IoT, and autonomous network operations.
From a policy perspective, the Cyber Security Act 2024 introduces frameworks for voluntary incident sharing and the establishment of cyber incident review boards, enhancing resilience. Meanwhile, new telecommunications infrastructure standards require modern networks in newly developed communities, and ACMA’s enhanced outage management requirements are raising the bar for reliability and accountability.
Together, these technology and policy shifts will accelerate automation adoption across enterprises and SMEs, strengthen national cyber resilience, and enable innovation in sectors reliant on secure, AI-powered connectivity.