Telstra Flags AI Cost Scrutiny for 380 Use Cases

• High-Density Compute Infrastructure: Australian data centers deploying 40-50 kW liquid-cooled GPU racks for transformer model training in financial trading, radiology imaging, and predictive maintenance[2]
• Power Distribution Architecture: Hardware budgets allocate 35-40% to power distribution (double traditional data center share) and significant cooling allocation for direct-to-chip and immersion systems[2]
• Network Resilience Standards: Tier IV certification with N+1 redundancy across all subsystems for mission-critical telecom operations; modular Tier III pods deployable within eight months for pilot workloads[2]
• AI-Native Operations Stack: Embedding AI agents across network planning, assurance, sales, care, and field operations to compress cycle times and enable predictive maintenance and dynamic spectrum allocation[3]
• Cost Bucket Composition: Cloud compute/storage (model training and inference), external data acquisition and engineering, consulting/integration/change management, and commercial model licensing fees[1]

Telstra's cautious approach to 380 use cases reflects a broader industry maturation where AI investment discipline supersedes hype-driven adoption. The emphasis on cost scrutiny aligns with CFO gatekeeping trends that will consolidate scattered pilots into fewer, outcome-linked platforms by 2026[6]. For telecom operators, this disciplined approach enables sustainable competitive advantage through AI-native operations that simultaneously reduce service costs and improve capital allocation, but only when paired with legacy system shutdowns and vendor consolidation[3]. The shift toward sovereign-by-design execution in Asia-Pacific will likely accelerate consolidation among regional competitors unable to justify AI spending through measurable ROI within 12-month payback windows[1][6].