- AI sessions on a fiber connection are much more interactive, and they last longer
- There could end up being a divide between the fiber haves and have-nots in terms of AI proficiency
- Recon’s survey data also indicates that people perceive Starlink broadband to be similar to fiber
People who have a fiber broadband connection are doing more with AI than people who don’t have a fiber connection, according to new research from Recon Analytics, which surveys 6,000 people per week about AI.
Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, recently spoke on a Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) webinar. He said his research found that people who have fiber broadband typically ask 28.5 questions per AI session. But the number of questions goes down with the quality of their connection. For instance, fiber sessions are 50% more intensive than cable network sessions.
“People on a fiber connection — because you're moving so much data at such high speeds with low latency — it's a much more rewarding experience when they're not waiting,” said Entner. “It’s much more interactive based on the network underlying it. The sessions are longer, and they're more intensive.”
He said that a lot of survey respondents are doing more sophisticated things with AI now, not just asking questions to ChatGPT. For instance, they’re building videos. “A computer and fiber are the right setup for real work applications where you're going deep into something,” said Entner.
Gary Bolton, CEO of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), asked if there is going to be a divide between the fiber haves and have-nots.
Entner indicated that there could be. He sees a trend toward AI users wanting lower-latency, higher throughput networks. This would be similar to gamers who’ve always demanded top performing equipment and networks.
Obviously, this is good news for fiber service providers. But Entner said cable companies, while they are deploying DOCSIS 4.0 and still championing their hybrid fiber coax networks — are also laying a lot more fiber. “Probably one out of eight of Charter's customers are fiber customers,” said Entner. “And they're building fiber in their out-of-markets. Because fiber is the superior technology. And action speaks louder than words.”
He said there’s going to be more demand for symmetric connections.
“The demand that AI is putting on networks is dramatic, and it also changes the way we use the networks,” said Entner. “If we go back a couple of years, between 93-95% of the network traffic was download, and 7% was upload. With AI, this is shifting significantly into the teens, if not higher [for upload].”
The impact of Starlink
“One of the scary things for fiber providers is that we can see very clearly in our data that Starlink has now, from a customer perception, fiber-like reliability. The reason why is that they have a phenomenal router,” he said.
Recon Analytics is working on a new report about the impact of Starlink’s broadband router on customer experience.
“Fiber is a great technology, but we have to be cognizant that there's other technologies out there, and we need to understand them really well,” said Entner.
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