A recent Ciena survey of service providers underscores the revenue potential of AI-driven networking. Ninety percent1 of respondents expect high-capacity AI network services – connectivity to AI infrastructure required by enterprises, hyperscalers, and neoscalers – to drive revenue growth over the next three to five years, with 56% citing them as their primary source of net-new revenue. Confidence is equally strong in managed optical fiber network (MOFN) services, with 96%3 expecting them to generate revenue from connecting distributed AI compute clusters over the next three years, and 51% identifying MOFN as their primary vehicle for delivering data center interconnect (DCI) services.
However, as service providers pursue new AI-driven revenue opportunities, the majority (88%2) of survey respondents had a strong sense of urgency on the need for optical network upgrades to support the demands of premium enterprise AI service level agreements (SLAs). Additionally:
- Nearly half (48%) believe those upgrades are critical, and 39% said they are needed within the next 12-18 months.
- Only 11% believe routine upgrades will be sufficient to meet the demand.
- Advanced network automation, including agentic AI, is seen as essential (96%4 surveyed agree) to capitalize on AI-driven opportunities.