GLF Pulse Survey reveals industry leaders are shifting focus from ambition to execution in genAI era

The latest GLF Pulse Survey 2026 revealed generative AI has firmly shifted from experimental pilot to operational reality, partnerships are now the industry’s norm, and increased capital expenditure is signalling faith in future expansion. Nonetheless, persistent challenges, ranging from price erosion and squeezed margins to complex regulation and sluggish speed-to-market, continue to cloud performance prospects.

The survey’s data leaves no room for ambiguity: future growth will be determined not by lofty ambitions or shiny new tech, but by how well telecoms operators can convert strategic intent into scalable, repeatable action.

Established in 2016, the GLF unites influential executives from across the global connectivity and digital infrastructure landscape. The network fosters collaboration among companies, partners, and industries at the forefront of driving worldwide digital transformation.

The GLF Pulse Survey report, developed to capture the perspectives of the 170+ members of the GLF and wider ecosystem, provides unique insights into the industry’s shifting priorities and emerging trends. By collecting feedback from more than 50 organisations spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States, the report delivers a comprehensive snapshot of global sentiment and strategic focus within the sector at the start of each year.

“The 2026 Pulse Survey shows an industry that is confident in its direction but increasingly focused on execution,” said Silvia Peneva, managing director of the Global Leaders’ Forum (GLF).

“Generative AI, partnerships and product innovation are no longer emerging themes – they are now central to how carriers think about growth. However, the real challenge lies in translating intent into scalable delivery. Margin pressure, regulatory complexity and slow speed-to-market continue to test traditional operating models, which is why we are seeing such a strong emphasis on partnerships, automation and new approaches to product development. The next phase of value creation will belong to those organisations that can move faster, collaborate more effectively, and turn innovation into repeatable commercial outcomes.”

Generative AI moves beyond hype

For international carriers, Generative AI is now a practical tool, not a distant promise. Over half of surveyed organisations are piloting or actively deploying GenAI, with the biggest impact seen in network operations, product and service development, and go-to-market strategies.

AI-powered optimisation, predictive maintenance, and automated assurance are driving efficiency in network operations – while innovations in product development and sales channels are accelerating product cycles and transforming customer engagement.

Yet, the path forward is far from settled. While partnerships remain the go-to route for AI capability building, 2026 has also seen a noticeable pivot back towards developing in-house talent and strategic hiring, suggesting that long-term differentiation may hinge on cultivating internal expertise rather than depending solely on external partners.

However, a talent crunch threatens progress. Most respondents admit to lacking the internal skills needed to fully realise the AI opportunity, exposing a widening gulf between strategy and execution. The core challenge is no longer whether to adopt GenAI, but how to integrate it sustainably into existing business models.

Growth optimism tempered by structural pressures

While the sector recognises vast opportunities, overall optimism is waning compared to previous years – especially among established international players. This softening outlook reflects a more mature, clear-eyed assessment of market realities.

The biggest concern for the next five years is building new engines of growth, overshadowing issues such as talent shortages, organisational change, and tech integration. Ongoing price declines and margin pressures, driven by oversupply and fierce competition, remain the primary obstacles, while regulatory hurdles have taken on new significance, complicating cross-border ambitions.

The message is clear: fine-tuning legacy services won’t be enough. Operators must unearth and scale new sources of value alongside ongoing efforts to boost efficiency and cut costs.

CAPEX priorities tilt towards innovation

Despite these pressures, capital expenditure trends are strikingly optimistic. Roughly 70% of organisations are directing CAPEX into new business lines, and over 80% plan to increase investment in product innovation in the coming year.

New service development tops the list of investment priorities for the next three years, closely followed by international network expansion. Upgrading networks and internal systems remains important, but the focus is shifting towards supporting growth and innovation. Inter-carrier automation – spanning wholesale trading, deal management, and billing – has become a major area for review, as operators seek to reduce operational friction and speed up market delivery.

Interestingly, appetite for further investment in analytics and business intelligence has eased slightly, suggesting that attention is now turning from laying data foundations to enhancing automation, orchestration, and integration.

Partnerships are key to growth

Perhaps the clearest theme of the 2026 survey is the centrality of partnerships. Across AI, product development, and international connectivity, partnerships are now seen as critical to success. Nearly half of all respondents favour partnerships for building GenAI capabilities, and over a third see them as key to product innovation.

Success in nurturing existing partnerships and forging new ones now outpaces cost-cutting, M&A, or internal restructuring as the top strategic priority in international connectivity. As industry ecosystems grow more complex, spanning cloud, content, enterprise, and regional players, no operator can realistically go it alone.

Yet, partnerships present their own hurdles. Effective governance, aligned incentives, and seamless integration across organisational boundaries remain areas where many carriers still struggle. The industry must now ask: can operating models evolve quickly enough to make collaboration an engine of competitive advantage, rather than a source of drag?

Value creation focuses on high-performance connectivity

The survey confirms that data connectivity remains the primary engine for value creation in international markets, with content delivery and enterprise ICT services close behind. Trends like enterprise digital transformation, Network-as-a-Service, and cloudification remain highly valued, though expectations have become more realistic as implementation challenges become apparent.

Enterprise ICT services stand out as the single largest growth opportunity, reflecting robust demand for managed, integrated solutions. Messaging and CPaaS, while still relevant, now draw less attention, pointing to a more selective approach to platform-based growth.

Risk, however, is on the rise. Geopolitical instability tops the list of threats for 2026, followed closely by the disruptive strategies of hyperscalers. Regulatory shifts and intensifying competition also loom large, reinforcing the reality that external forces, not just internal capabilities, will shape the sector’s future.

Product innovation: High priority, mixed results

Product innovation is universally acknowledged as vital for long-term success, with particular emphasis on data services and enterprise connectivity. However, beneath the consensus lies fragmentation: more than half of organisations are relying on internal development for new products, but 84% lack dedicated innovation teams. As a result, speed-to-market is sluggish, with new products typically taking six months or more to reach commercial launch.

Barriers abound, from budget constraints and conservative cultures to legacy systems and talent shortages. Moreover, limits within the partner ecosystem further complicate efforts, highlighting the gap between the strategic value of partnerships and the realities of execution.

The upshot: while innovation is a top priority, few have the structures, processes, and incentives in place to deliver it at scale.

The GLF Pulse Survey 2026 paints a picture of an industry in motion, not yet in full transformation. The strategic consensus is clear: invest in innovation, leverage partnerships, harness AI, and build new growth engines beyond basic connectivity.

The sticking point is execution. Talent shortages, slow decision-making, fragmented operating models, and legacy systems all hamper the speed at which operators can seize new opportunities.

Ultimately, 2026 will be less about identifying the next big thing, and more about proving who can deliver. Operators that streamline their processes, professionalise product management, and turn partnerships into scalable platforms (not just bespoke projects) will be best placed to capture the next wave of value. Vision may chart the course, but execution will determine the leaders of tomorrow.