TRAI lays out guidelines for responsible AI adoption in telecoms

Details: James Barton; Category: Regulation; 02 November 2026; 389 views

TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has set out draft guidelines for the implementation of AI (artificial intelligence) into telecom networks, infrastructure, and services.

Industry stakeholders have until 27^th November to offer their feedback on the regulator’s proposals, which are aimed at ensuring clarity, predictability and accountability as AI is adopted more widely across the sector.

The proposals include ensuring that risk assessments are carried out for any AI implementation and a set time limit for reporting critical incidents. They follow the February release of the India AI Governance Guidelines, which aimed to encourage adoption of AI while safeguarding against the risks.

Indeed, the new proposals are aimed at facilitating “consistent and responsible implementation” of the February guidelines, with TRAI noting in a statement that “while the integration of AI into telecommunications is likely to significantly enhance efficiency, it may also introduce new risks if due diligence is not exercised before deployment of AI systems or if due supervision is not exercised over autonomous learning and systemic interactions.”

Potential risks range from erratic agent behaviour or unintended bias to more serious “adversarial” action which could affect network resilience. To address these risks, the regulator calls for companies to set internal AI policies and appoint an executive-led committee to oversee implementation.

The guidelines are aimed at all telecoms licence holders and any firms authorised to operate networks under the Telecommunications Act 2023. Under the proposals, firms would be “accountable for the outcome of all AI systems used by [them], irrespective of whether the AI systems are developed internally, procured/outsourced from third party or a combination thereof”.