Vodafone Focuses on AI, Security

What happened

Vodafone has strategically pivoted towards providing AI and cybersecurity solutions to businesses, following divestments of European assets. The company is strengthening identity protection, access control, and authentication controls, alongside implementing an adaptive cyber risk methodology. A cloud-native security service for business customers is under development, leveraging Google Cloud's Security Operations platform for SIEM and software-based protection tools. Vodafone will also offer Google One AI Premium subscriptions, including Gemini Advanced, in select territories by 2025. Furthermore, Vodafone is prioritising end-to-end telecommunications network security and developing a new security operations platform, while collaborating with IBM on a risk-based approach to post-quantum safe cryptography, identifying vulnerabilities and defining supplier requirements.

Why it matters

The introduction of new cloud-native security services and AI offerings, coupled with a focus on post-quantum cryptography, introduces new dependencies on third-party platforms and external AI models. This increases the due diligence requirements for procurement and IT security teams to assess vendor security postures, data handling practices, and the resilience of cryptographic implementations against emerging threats. The adaptive cyber risk methodology and strengthened access controls shift the burden of continuous threat assessment and policy enforcement onto IT security and platform operators, requiring constant vigilance against evolving AI-driven risks and quantum vulnerabilities.