During this Great Telco Debate session, we put automation under the microscope: does it deliver efficiency or smuggle in new risks? Experts evaluated the benefits of speed, consistency and lower operating expenditure against real risks if governance is weak. Case studies showed why large-scale change like the VodafoneThree merger, makes automation non-negotiable, starting with GitOps-based lifecycle automation and moving toward AI-driven orchestration, but only with guardrails, conflict mitigation, observability and humans in the loop to make critical decisions and oversee compliance.

Recorded December 2025