Top AI agent-enabled network APIs for monetization, according to Telefónica

Telefónica and Nokia have been testing how AI software agents can use telecom network APIs more efficiently, under the GSMA Open Gateway program to standardize access to network capabilities. Alex Harmand of Telefónica says these "agentic" AI systems change how operators can make money from APIs, shifting pricing away from simple per-call fees toward models based on outcomes or higher-level functions that the agents perform.

The early trials suggest that instead of developers calling individual APIs one by one, AI agents could automatically discover, combine and use multiple network APIs to complete tasks. That could allow operators to bundle capabilities and charge for what the agent actually delivers, rather than how many times a single interface is hit. The work with Nokia forms part of a broader industry effort to turn network APIs into a more predictable and scalable revenue stream for carriers.