Mobile phone networks are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make smartphones easier to use. Companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google are adding AI to their operating systems. This means phones will use more data, which can strain mobile networks. To handle this, telecoms companies are using AI to manage radio frequencies, save energy, and monitor network performance. For example, Korea Telecom can now find and fix problems in a minute using AI.

Telecoms companies are investing in 5G Standalone networks to handle the extra data from AI. These networks are faster and can hold more data, but some experts say they might not be enough for the AI era. The industry is also using AI to improve customer service. The Global Telco AI Alliance is developing an AI chatbot for basic customer queries. This will free up call center staff for more complicated cases. Vodafone has partnered with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to improve customer service and reduce complaints. AI can help emerging markets and make its use more fair.

Some people worry that AI will take away jobs, but experts think it can be helpful, especially for poorer countries. AI can make networks greener and more efficient. Overall, AI is being used in many parts of the telecoms industry, making everything better.

Original news source: How mobile phone networks are embracing AI (BBC)

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📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– News Summary
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to read the article and summarize the main points in a few sentences.
4. After they have finished, have each group share their summaries with the class.
5. Facilitate a discussion about the article and encourage students to express their opinions.

– Word Association
Instructions:
1. Write the words “mobile phone networks” on the board.
2. Instruct students to take turns saying a word that is associated with the topic.
3. Each student must say a word that has not been said before.
4. Encourage students to explain why they chose their words.
5. Continue until no more words can be added or until time runs out.

– Opinion Poll
Instructions:
1. Write the statement “Artificial intelligence in mobile phone networks is beneficial” on the board.
2. Divide the class into two groups: one group in favor of the statement and one group against.
3. Instruct each group to come up with arguments to support their opinion.
4. Have each group present their arguments to the class.
5. Conduct a class vote to see which opinion is more popular and facilitate a discussion about the results.

– Pros and Cons
Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs or small groups.
2. Instruct each group to make a list of the pros and cons of using AI in mobile phone networks.
3. After they have finished, have each group share their lists with the class.
4. Facilitate a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of AI in this context.
5. Encourage students to express their personal opinions and discuss any ethical concerns.

– Future Predictions
Instructions:
1. Instruct students to imagine what the future of mobile phone networks will look like with the integration of AI.
2. Ask each student to write down their predictions on a piece of paper.
3. After they have finished, have students share their predictions with a partner or small group.
4. Encourage students to discuss and debate their predictions, providing reasons and evidence to support their ideas.
5. As a class, have a discussion about the different predictions and make connections to the article.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. How are mobile phone networks using artificial intelligence to make smartphones easier to use?
2. Why can adding AI to operating systems strain mobile networks?
3. What are some ways that telecoms companies are using AI to manage mobile networks?
4. How is Korea Telecom using AI to improve network performance?
5. What are 5G Standalone networks and why are they important for handling the extra data from AI?
6. How is the telecoms industry using AI to improve customer service?
7. How is Vodafone partnering with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to improve customer service?
8. What are some potential benefits of using AI in the telecoms industry?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Mobile phone networks are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make smartphones easier to use. Companies like Apple, Samsung, and (1)______ are (2)______ AI to their (3)______ systems. This (4)______ phones will use more data, which can strain mobile networks. To handle this, telecoms companies are using AI to manage radio frequencies, save energy, and (5)______ network (6)______. For example, Korea Telecom can now find and fix problems in a minute (7)______ AI.

Telecoms companies are investing in 5G Standalone (8)______ to handle the extra data from AI. These networks are faster and can hold more data, but some experts say they might not be enough for the AI era. The industry is also using AI to improve customer (9)______. The Global Telco AI (10)______ is developing an AI chatbot for basic customer queries. This will free up call (11)______ staff for more complicated cases. Vodafone has partnered with Microsoft’s Azure (12)______ Service to improve customer service and reduce complaints. AI can help emerging (13)______ and make its use more fair.

Some people worry that AI will take away jobs, but experts think it can be helpful, especially for poorer (14)______. AI can make networks (15)______ and more efficient. Overall, AI is being used in many parts of the (16)______ industry, making everything better.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is artificial intelligence (AI) and how is it being used in smartphones?
2. How do you think AI can strain mobile networks? Why or why not?
3. Do you think telecoms companies should invest in 5G Standalone networks? Why or why not?
4. How do you think AI can improve customer service in the telecoms industry?
5. Do you think AI chatbots are a good idea for handling basic customer queries? Why or why not?
6. How do you think AI can help emerging markets? Can you give an example?
7. What are some concerns people have about AI taking away jobs? Do you share these concerns? Why or why not?
8. How do you think AI can make networks greener and more efficient?
9. Do you think AI is being used too much in the telecoms industry? Why or why not?
10. How would you feel if you had to interact with an AI chatbot instead of a human customer service representative? Why?
11. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of using AI in the telecoms industry?
12. Do you think AI will continue to advance and be used more in the future? Why or why not?
13. How do you think AI can make smartphones easier to use for people?
14. What are some other industries where AI could be useful? Can you give examples?
15. Do you think AI will ultimately make everything better? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. artificial
2. strain
3. frequencies
4. monitor
5. investing
6. standalone
7. queries
8. emerging
9. partnered
10. efficient
11. telecoms
12. chatbot
13. greener
14. operating
15. performance

Meanings:
(A) Worked together with someone
(B) To put money or effort into something to make it better
(C) Working well without wasting time or resources
(D) A computer program that can talk to people
(E) Companies that provide phone and internet services
(F) Better for the environment
(G) Made by humans, not natural
(H) Starting to become known or important
(I) Questions or requests for information
(J) How well something works or functions
(K) To watch or check something over a period of time
(L) Controlling or managing the way something works
(M) Independent and not connected to anything else
(N) The rate at which something happens over a period of time
(O) To put pressure on something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What are companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google adding to their operating systems to make smartphones easier to use?
(a) Virtual reality (VR)
(b) Augmented reality (AR)
(c) Blockchain technology
(d) Artificial intelligence (AI)

2. How are telecoms companies using AI to handle the strain on mobile networks caused by increased data usage?
(a) Managing radio frequencies, saving energy, and monitoring network performance
(b) Increasing the number of cell towers
(c) Reducing the quality of phone calls
(d) Limiting data usage for smartphone users

3. What type of networks are telecoms companies investing in to handle the extra data from AI?
(a) 4G networks
(b) 3G networks
(c) Wi-Fi networks
(d) 5G Standalone networks

4. How is the telecoms industry using AI to improve customer service?
(a) Hiring more call center staff
(b) Reducing the number of customer queries
(c) Developing AI chatbots for basic customer queries
(d) Outsourcing customer service to other countries

5. Which company has partnered with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to improve customer service?
(a) Vodafone
(b) Apple
(c) Samsung
(d) Google

6. What do some experts think about the impact of AI on jobs?
(a) It will take away jobs
(b) It can be helpful, especially for poorer countries
(c) It will only benefit rich countries
(d) It will have no impact on jobs

7. How can AI make networks greener and more efficient?
(a) By increasing the number of cell towers
(b) By optimizing energy usage and reducing waste
(c) By limiting data usage for smartphone users
(d) By reducing the quality of phone calls

8. Overall, what is the impact of AI on the telecoms industry?
(a) It is causing more problems than it is solving
(b) It is only benefiting rich countries
(c) It is being used in many parts of the industry, making everything better
(d) It is making smartphones more difficult to use

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Some experts believe that 5G networks might be enough for the AI era.
2. Adding AI to operating systems means that phones will use more data, which can strain mobile networks.
3. Telecoms companies are not using AI to manage radio frequencies, save energy, and monitor network performance.
4. Korea Telecom can no longer find and fix problems in a minute using AI.
5. AI can help emerging markets and make its use more fair.
6. The telecoms industry is not using AI to improve customer service, such as developing AI chatbots for basic customer queries.
7. Telecoms companies are investing in 5G Standalone networks to handle the extra data from AI.
8. Mobile phone companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make smartphones easier to use.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. How are mobile phone networks using artificial intelligence (AI) to make smartphones easier to use?
2. Why might the use of AI strain mobile networks?
3. How are telecoms companies using AI to manage radio frequencies and save energy?
4. What are 5G Standalone networks and why are they important for handling the extra data from AI?
5. How is AI being used to improve customer service in the telecoms industry?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Mobile phone networks are using artificial intelligence to make smartphones easier to use by adding AI to their operating systems. This means that phones can use more data and perform tasks more efficiently, making them more user-friendly.

2. Adding AI to operating systems can strain mobile networks because AI applications require a lot of data to process and analyze. This increased data usage can put a burden on the mobile networks, potentially slowing down the overall performance.

3. Telecoms companies are using AI to manage mobile networks in several ways. They are using AI to manage radio frequencies, which helps optimize network performance and ensure that signals are transmitted efficiently. AI is also being used to save energy by automatically adjusting network settings based on usage patterns. Additionally, AI is being used to monitor network performance and quickly identify and fix any issues that may arise.

4. Korea Telecom is using AI to improve network performance by being able to find and fix problems in just one minute. This means that any issues or disruptions in the network can be quickly identified and resolved, resulting in a more reliable and efficient network for users.

5. 5G Standalone networks are the next generation of mobile networks that are faster and have the capacity to hold more data. These networks are important for handling the extra data from AI because AI applications require large amounts of data to process and analyze. With the increasing use of AI in smartphones, the current networks may not be able to handle the data demands, hence the need for 5G Standalone networks.

6. The telecoms industry is using AI to improve customer service by developing AI chatbots for basic customer queries. These chatbots can provide instant responses and assistance to customers, freeing up call center staff to handle more complex cases. This improves the overall customer experience and reduces waiting times for support.

7. Vodafone has partnered with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to improve customer service. By leveraging AI technology, Vodafone can enhance its customer service capabilities by providing personalized and efficient support. This partnership allows Vodafone to use AI-powered chatbots to handle customer queries and provide quick and accurate responses.

8. Some potential benefits of using AI in the telecoms industry include greener and more efficient networks, improved network performance and reliability, enhanced customer service, and increased accessibility to telecommunications services in emerging markets. AI can help optimize network resources, reduce energy consumption, and provide better connectivity options for users. Additionally, AI can assist in bridging the digital divide by making telecommunication services more accessible and affordable for people in poorer countries.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Google
(2) adding
(3) operating
(4) means
(5) monitor
(6) performance
(7) using
(8) networks
(9) service
(10) Alliance
(11) center
(12) OpenAI
(13) markets
(14) countries
(15) greener
(16) telecoms
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. artificial
Answer: (G) Made by humans, not natural

2. strain
Answer: (O) To put pressure on something

3. frequencies
Answer: (N) The rate at which something happens over a period of time

4. monitor
Answer: (K) To watch or check something over a period of time

5. investing
Answer: (B) To put money or effort into something to make it better

6. standalone
Answer: (M) Independent and not connected to anything else

7. queries
Answer: (I) Questions or requests for information

8. emerging
Answer: (H) Starting to become known or important

9. partnered
Answer: (A) Worked together with someone

10. efficient
Answer: (C) Working well without wasting time or resources

11. telecoms
Answer: (E) Companies that provide phone and internet services

12. chatbot
Answer: (D) A computer program that can talk to people

13. greener
Answer: (F) Better for the environment

14. operating
Answer: (L) Controlling or managing the way something works

15. performance
Answer: (J) How well something works or functions
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What are companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google adding to their operating systems to make smartphones easier to use?
Answer: (d) Artificial intelligence (AI)

2. How are telecoms companies using AI to handle the strain on mobile networks caused by increased data usage?
Answer: (a) Managing radio frequencies, saving energy, and monitoring network performance

3. What type of networks are telecoms companies investing in to handle the extra data from AI?
Answer: (d) 5G Standalone networks

4. How is the telecoms industry using AI to improve customer service?
Answer: (c) Developing AI chatbots for basic customer queries

5. Which company has partnered with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service to improve customer service?
Answer: (a) Vodafone

6. What do some experts think about the impact of AI on jobs?
Answer: (b) It can be helpful, especially for poorer countries

7. How can AI make networks greener and more efficient?
Answer: (b) By optimizing energy usage and reducing waste

8. Overall, what is the impact of AI on the telecoms industry?
Answer: (c) It is being used in many parts of the industry, making everything better
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Some experts believe that 5G networks might be enough for the AI era. (Answer: False)
2. Adding AI to operating systems means that phones will use more data, which can strain mobile networks. (Answer: True)
3. Telecoms companies are not using AI to manage radio frequencies, save energy, and monitor network performance. (Answer: False)
4. Korea Telecom can no longer find and fix problems in a minute using AI. (Answer: False)
5. AI can help emerging markets and make its use more fair. (Answer: True)
6. The telecoms industry is not using AI to improve customer service, such as developing AI chatbots for basic customer queries. (Answer: False)
7. Telecoms companies are investing in 5G Standalone networks to handle the extra data from AI. (Answer: True)
8. Mobile phone companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google are using artificial intelligence (AI) to make smartphones easier to use. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧