TNS and Kaleido Intelligence Respond to Telecom’s Power Surge Driven by AI Data Center Demand

New White Paper and Upcoming Webinar Underpin Urgent Need for Strategies to Help Manage Energy, Cost and Sustainability in the Era of AI-powered Networks

Telecom is on the front line in the unprecedented spike in energy demand to support Artificial Intelligence (AI). As models grow more complex and compute-hungry, global data center power demand is projected to soar 50% by 2027 and up to 165% by 2030, creating a surge that will strain electric grids, inflate operational costs and force industry leaders to act fast. For Communications Service Providers (CSPs), rapid advances in 5G and 6G infrastructure, fiber buildouts and AI-powered services have made energy consumption a critical bottleneck, causing CSPs to assess and control what equipment they operate, their respective locations and exact power consumption to stay ahead of regulatory and market pressures.

To help address this issue, Transaction Network Services (TNS) today announced the availability of a new white paper from Kaleido Intelligence: Optimizing Network Planning for the AI Era with Common Language. The white paper details actionable insights and solutions for CSPs looking to balance the promise of AI and advanced networks with the realities of energy demand, sustainability and commercial priorities.

“AI is forcing a power reality check across telecom. As compute demand explodes, energy is quickly becoming the industry’s most unforgiving growth limiter,” said James Moar, Principal Analyst at Kaleido Intelligence. “CSPs cannot manage what they cannot see, and fragmented network intelligence is now a direct threat to margins and sustainability goals. The winners in the AI era will be those that move fastest to standardize, unify and operationalize network and energy data at scale, turning visibility into a decisive competitive advantage.”

“With energy prices soaring, CSPs can’t simply tighten their belts and hope for savings,” said Mike O’Brien, Chief Product Officer, TNS Communications Market, TNS. “The power required to run today’s AI-driven networks is growing at an almost unsustainable rate—energy already represents a major share of network costs, and it is only climbing. For CSPs, managing energy consumption is no longer just a sustainability goal; it is a critical lever for controlling one of their largest operational expenses.”

“When AI and Energy Collide” Webinar Slated for May 6, 2026

Experts from Kaleido Intelligence, Agile Telco and TNS will participate in a free, live webinar – When AI and Energy Collide: How a Common Language Framework Can Help CSPs with Network Management, Efficiency and Planning – on May 6, 2026, at 10am Eastern/3:00 pm British Summer Time.

This in-depth presentation from James Moar, Principal Analyst at Kaleido Intelligence, Juan Carlos Ortiz, Director, Solutions Engineering at TNS, and George Malim, Managing Editor of Agile Telco, will examine what the key telco network planning and operational challenges are in the AI-enabled era, and how standardized frameworks can assist with inventory management, procurement, reducing running costs, improving sustainability and managing energy consumption. The trio will discuss the unique strains AI places on CSP networks, how a common language framework can provide better visibility into network costs, and strategies for achieving efficiency, sustainability and cost-effective network operations.

O’Brien continued, “Our TruOps Common Language platform empowers CSPs to take control through data-driven intelligence, providing real-time visibility and a standardized view of network asset, location and equipment data across departments and vendors. With insights into factors such as equipment electrical requirements, maximum power usage and environmental conditions, CSPs can make smarter, energy-conscious decisions that unlock efficiency and reduce costs in an increasingly complex energy landscape.”

To register for the live webinar, visit Live: When AI and Energy Collide.

To uncover essential strategies for telecom’s energy future, download a complimentary copy of the full white paper.