Orange CEO: Telcos must architect trust in the AI era
Orange Group CEO Christel Heydemann used her MWC 2026 keynote to argue that telecom operators need to move beyond selling connectivity and take on a larger role as “trust architects” in an AI-driven world. She said artificial intelligence is becoming the “operating layer” of society, and that networks sit so close to users and data that operators have a responsibility to act as the “active shield of the digital world.”
Heydemann’s message was that telcos must build and run networks that people can rely on, not just for bandwidth, but for security, privacy, and integrity of data flowing through AI systems. As AI embeds deeper into daily life and critical infrastructure, she suggested operators will be judged less on speed and price, and more on how well they protect users and uphold trust.
More from Telecom
Axian Telecom, the parent company of pan-African operator Yas, has signed a deal with AST SpaceMobile to bring direct-to-device satellite services to
Turkcell used Mobile World Congress 2026 to line up new technology partners for its next wave of mobile network upgrades. The operator signed separate
Viettel High Tech, the technology arm of Vietnam’s Viettel Group, has signed 6G collaboration agreements with Intel, AMD, ID Quantique and Qualcomm at
AT&T is pushing ahead with a more software-driven mobile network and wants to avoid locking itself into any one hardware vendor, including Intel. Netw
This year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona was smaller, stranger and obsessed with AI. Exhibition space had shrunk again, some organizers muttered
Orange has signed a memorandum of understanding with AST SpaceMobile and Satellite Connect Europe to work on direct-to-device satellite connectivity i