AI's Unstoppable Rise Forces Networks to Evolve or Fail

The shift toward cable-cellular hybrid business strategies is becoming increasingly vital as artificial intelligence (AI) workloads demand robust, resilient, and always-on network infrastructures. AI development is accelerating the need for high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity, pushing organizations to evolve beyond traditional data center models. According to a recent report, demand for AI-capable data center capacity is projected to grow at 33% annually through 2030, with nearly 70% of data center use expected to support AI workloads by that time [1]. This exponential growth necessitates networks that are secure, always available, and designed for distributed and edge-scale environments.

One notable example of this evolution is South Korea’s SK Telecom, in partnership with VAST Data and Supermicro, which has deployed the Haein Cluster, a sovereign AI infrastructure powered by NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs. This AI infrastructure, integrated into SKT’s Petasus AI Cloud, allows for GPU environments to be provisioned in under 10 minutes while maintaining near-bare-metal performance [2]. The architecture combines VAST’s DASE (disaggregated, shared-everything) platform with Supermicro’s server infrastructure, creating a scalable, secure, and multi-tenant environment that supports both AI training and inference. SK Telecom emphasizes that this transition from legacy bare-metal deployments to a fully virtualized AI cloud has significantly enhanced its ability to manage complex, high-demand AI services.

To meet the rising infrastructure needs, telecom providers are investing in hybrid solutions that combine cable and cellular technologies. Opengear, for instance, has developed a Network Resilience Platform that incorporates Smart Out of Band (OOB) management and Failover to Cellular™ capabilities. These tools ensure continuous access to infrastructure even during primary network outages, a critical requirement for maintaining AI workloads in both centralized and edge environments [1]. According to Opengear, 57% of network engineers expect AI-related investment to rise by more than 25% over the next two to three years, yet 70% of these professionals feel that current plans fall short of business needs, highlighting a gap between expectations and infrastructure readiness.

The integration of AI into business operations also necessitates new approaches to monitoring and managing infrastructure. Opengear’s Lighthouse® software, for instance, provides centralized orchestration for provisioning, monitoring, and remote control, offering a single pane of glass for managing GPU servers, accelerators, and remote gateways [1]. This software supports Zero Touch Provisioning and enhances visibility, enabling proactive automation and issue resolution before they impact performance.

In addition to telecom and data center infrastructure, AI is reshaping how financial institutions and investment platforms operate. Scalable Capital, a European digital investment platform, has launched an AI-driven feature called “Insights,” which integrates generative AI directly into its user interface. The tool provides real-time responses to financial and investment queries, helping both novice and experienced investors make informed decisions [3]. By leveraging OpenAI models and data from sources like justETF and dpa-AFX, “Insights” simplifies access to financial knowledge and enhances the overall user experience in private investing.

As AI workloads continue to expand, the need for resilient, always-on networks becomes more urgent. Organizations are increasingly adopting cable-cellular hybrid strategies to ensure continuous uptime and performance. These strategies are not just about avoiding outages but also about maintaining operational efficiency and scalability in a landscape where AI-driven innovation is accelerating at an unprecedented rate.

Source:

[1] AI and Always-On Networks: Why Infrastructure Must Never ..., (https://opengear.com/blog/ai-and-always-on-networks)

[2] VAST, SK Telecom Optimize Korea's Largest AI ..., (https://www.vastdata.com/press-releases/vast-data-collaborates-with-sk-telecom-to-optimize-infrastructure-based-on-nvidia-supercomputers)

[3] Scalable Capital launches AI-driven financial knowledge feature, (https://etfexpress.com/2025/08/19/scalable-capital-launches-ai-driven-financial-knowledge-feature/)