In a rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape, Stephen Rue, CEO of Australian telecom giant Optus, has underscored the indispensable role of human workers even as the company integrates artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations. Since assuming leadership in November 2024, Rue has focused on rebuilding trust and enhancing network resilience, positioning AI as a tool to augment, not replace, human capabilities.
Rue envisions AI playing a transformative role in improving customer experience, fault detection, and service delivery.“One of the things we need to do in terms of IT and data and, indeed, process redesign is to look at how we incorporate AI into that,” he stated, emphasizing AI’s potential to streamline operations and provide more personalized services.
However, Rue is adamant that AI will not supplant human workers. “On top of AI, there are decisions that would need to be taken by humans,” he noted. He highlighted the continued need for technicians, creative professionals, and customer service agents, asserting that AI can support these roles by providing data analytics and insights to inform human decision-making.
Rue’s tenure follows a challenging period for Optus, marked by a significant data breach and a 14-hour national mobile network outage. In response, he has prioritized improving governance, risk management, and network resilience. These efforts have begun to yield results, with Optus adding 238,000 new mobile subscribers, including 52,000 on postpaid plans, in the financial year ending March 2025.
Looking ahead, Rue supports collaboration with the Australian government to extend mobile coverage, particularly in remote areas. He advocates for leveraging low-earth orbit satellite networks, such as Starlink, to supplement mobile networks where traditional coverage is lacking. “It will… provide operators like Optus with an ability to provide affordable ways of providing those services,” Rue stated, highlighting the potential of such partnerships to bridge connectivity gaps.
While AI offers opportunities for increased efficiency, Rue emphasizes a balanced approach that values human expertise.“AI can help bring a lot of data analytics quickly to humans so they can make better decisions,” he explained, reinforcing the notion that technology should serve as a support system rather than a replacement.
Under Stephen Rue’s leadership, Optus is integrating AI with a focus on enhancing human roles and rebuilding customer trust. By positioning AI as a complementary tool and investing in network resilience and coverage expansion, the company aims to deliver improved services while maintaining the essential human touch in the telecommunications industry.
