BT is launching self-healing AI agents
Key Points
- BT Business has signed a multi-year deal with Accenture to launch self-healing AI agents across its UK managed services.
- The AI-Ops capability uses autonomous agents that analyse incidents and self-heal at machine speed, working alongside ServiceNow's core service management platform.
- Cyber-security threat detection and resolution is a central use case, with BT positioning faster identification of emerging vulnerabilities.
- Accenture research shows only one in five telecoms providers are leading the transition to AI-driven operations, with leaders reporting customer loyalty of 65% against 48% for laggards.
- The programme will also reshape BT Business's end-to-end customer journeys using AI-powered journey mapping.
BT Business has signed a multi-year deal with Accenture to launch self-healing AI agents across its UK operations.
The programme builds on BT’s existing partnership with ServiceNow, which provides the operator’s core service management platform, and applies Accenture’s service management expertise to BT’s network intelligence and customer data.
The new AI-Ops capability uses agents that autonomously analyse network and service issues, then self-heal at machine speed under strict control while dynamically learning from each incident.
BT said the technology will roll out to its business and public sector customers as part of a wider re-design of end-to-end customer processes using AI-powered journey mapping.
On cyber-security, AI-Ops will allow BT to identify and resolve emerging threats and vulnerabilities more rapidly, which BT said is increasingly critical as frontier AI capabilities transform the security landscape.
“BT has a unique responsibility in supporting much of the UK’s critical infrastructure,” said Jon James, CEO of BT Business.
“Working with Accenture, we are investing to bring our customers the latest in AI-Ops capability, combined with our unique data and networks, to enhance the UK’s resilience as well as accelerating the responsible deployment of efficient and autonomous systems.”
Accenture research published alongside the announcement found that one in five telecoms providers are moving to AI-driven operations.
“As customer expectations increase and technology environments become more complex, enterprises are under increasing pressure to deliver always-on, secure services,” said Andrew McCaffer, Managing Director and Client Account Lead for BT at Accenture.
McCafferm said Accenture is supporting BT by applying AI responsibly at scale across its managed services business, drawing on deep industry expertise to strengthen resilience, speed up resolution and enhance the customer experience.”
“By combining BT’s unrivalled network insight, Accenture’s expertise in scaling AI across complex environments, and ServiceNow’s AI control tower for business reinvention, we’re making agentic AI a reality for BT’s customers,” said Damian Stirrett, Group Vice President and General Manager, UK & Ireland, ServiceNow.
“The difference will be tangible. Fewer disruptions, faster resolution, more resilient services. Together, we’re setting a new standard for enterprise managed services, and redefining the telco marketplace.”
