Smart Communications to Accelerate AI Tansformation with AWS

​Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), the wireless unit PLDT Inc. (PLDT), and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are working together to ramp up Smart’s data and artificial intelligence (A.I.) transformation.

​With petabytes of data at its disposal, Smart aims to enhance customer experiences through A.I.-powered applications. Smart will use AWS’s services to unify Smart’s data platform, enabling advanced analytics and machine learning (ML) for personalized services. Transitioning to a cloud-based platform using AWS and Databricks will accelerate Smart’s time-to-market and improve operational efficiency.
 
“Smart’s approach to A.I. is one driven by relentless innovation. This is why we’ve entered this long-term partnership with AWS to build the A.I.-driven telco of the future,” said Anastacio “Boy” Martirez, Smart Chief Operating Officer. “Amazon Web Services is not just a leader in the digital space. It is a driving force behind entire economies, ours included. As we enter the age of A.I., there could be no better partner to help us navigate this transformation.”

“And we don’t want a piecemeal approach to A.I.,” he added. “This is why we’re developing what we call a ‘Center for Acceleration’ of A.I. We plan to gather all the best minds in A.I., and this partnership with AWS is a big step towards that direction. It will give us first-hand access not just to the expertise of our partners from AWS, but also to the entirety of their generative A.I. services.”

“AI's true power lies in its ability to drive business outcomes, and Smart presents a tremendous opportunity—not just for us to provide our services, but also to collaborate on how AI can drive real impact in one of the most tech-savvy markets in Southeast Asia,” said Geeta Chaudhary, Managing Director, AWS Professional Services, Asia Pacific and Japan. “Telcos in the region are leading the charge in harnessing the transformative power of data, and Smart is at the forefront of this revolution. We are excited to embark on this journey together.”

“Data is the fuel that powers AI and many companies are sitting on treasure troves of data. Our goal is to help our customers unlock data intelligence – AI tailored to the organization’s unique data to solve domain-specific business challenges. We are pleased that Smart has selected the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform on AWS for its data and AI transformation,” said Cecily Ng, Vice President and General Manager of ASEAN and Greater China, Databricks. “Together, we will deliver more value to all of Smart's customers with real-time insights to meet their business needs.”

This modernization project with AWS Professional Services is supported by key partners of AWS, including Databricks. Thus far, Smart and its parent company PLDT have launched several generative AI use cases meant to deliver real-time, personalized telco promotions, manage customer comments, address data privacy queries, and provide customer support, among other services and solutions.