Orange highlighted the importance of data and AI in its innovation model, marking their use as crucial for developing smarter networks and enhancing operational efficiency. At a webinar organised by the company today (18 May), SVP of Orange Labs Networks Emmanuel Lugagne-Delpon said AI could "bring value to almost every phase of the network lifecycle", including planning and design, investment optimisation, smart maintenance and security. He pointed to a use case from Spain where AI and machine learning (ML) were used to determine which sites were most profitable and how to reduce churn levels. This delivered a 10 per cent to 20 per cent improvement in its capex efficiency, with the operator now planning to replicate the model in other markets. In another example, Orange used AI to detect international call fraud, reducing related costs by €37 million, an approach Lugagne-Delpon said was "highly replicable" for other transactions.