Deutsche Telekom bets on AI for €2.5bn savings by 2030

Deutsche Telekom said on Monday it expects artificial intelligence and automation to save around €2.5 billion ($2.8 billion) in indirect costs by 2030 compared with 2023, as the German telecoms group makes AI central to its business at an AI investor day in Bonn.

In 2027, AI and automation are estimated to generate gross savings of around €1.1 billion outside the US compared with 2023, the company said, and it intends to partly invest additional 2027 savings in Germany’s digital infrastructure and fibre-optic network, Reuters reported.

The group also aims to lift AI-related revenue from business with companies outside the US from around €250 million in 2026 to about €800 million by 2030, and sees a “major business opportunity” in Europe’s goal of developing sovereign AI.

“AI is fundamentally transforming Deutsche Telekom,” chief executive Tim Hoettges said in a statement ahead of the event. “It makes our networks even better and smarter, our service more personalized, and opens up new business models.” The company said it uses AI where large volumes of repetitive work occur across network operations, customer service, software development and administrative processes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“AI detects peak traffic on the cellular network earlier, supports customer service representatives, and thus helps resolve issues immediately,” the company said in a statement. Its real-time translation AI assistant and a platform for automating recurring tasks will pave the way for new services and rate plans.

Deutsche Telekom confirmed its 2026 outlook and medium-term targets. The Bonn webcast was scheduled to run from 12:00 to 18:05 CEST (15:00–21:05 PKT).