AI is currently more of an efficiency driver than anything else, helping digital signage providers complete existing tasks more quickly. However, the next disruption could come from AI agents, similar to the RAM Guardian Agent developed by Telekom and Google, which could bring real transformative changes.
The digital signage industry is eagerly the next revolutionary AI features. To understand industry involvement, we explored whether companies are actively working on innovation or rather on implementation. In the Digital Signage Business Climate Index (DBCI), we asked markt participants how they are using AI and what drives its adoption.
AI is mostly a time saver
The answer: Most digital signage providers currently use AI to improve efficiency rather than drive innovation. Developing new features is a secondary motivation, while the main factors are time savings, followed by cost reduction.
Similarly, AI is mainly used for tasks that are already necessary but can now be completed faster, such as content creation, software development, and content adaptation. Its primary role is to optimize internal processes and improve efficiency.
Interestingly, the push for AI adoption is not driven by customer demand. Only one in ten DBCI participants reported customer inquiries about AI. Instead, the transformation is largely driven by the companies themselves.
DBCI – the industry’s sentiment barometer
The Digital Signage Business Climate Index (DBCI) serves as a key sentiment indicator for the industry, used by major market researchers in their reports. Based on our quarterly surveys, we engage the industry across all our channels to track trends and insights.
More advanced and complex AI applications are still in their early stages. AI-powered network management, cybersecurity tools, and automatic playlist creation are rare or still in development. However, these are the areas where the real transformative potential for the industry lies.
The next disruption in network management?
One promising future development is AI-driven network management using agentic AI—an advanced system that leverages large language models and reasoning frameworks to operate independently. Deutsche Telekom has currently launcing such a project with its RAM Guardian Agent. Based on Gemini 2, this AI agent marks the first step toward autonomous, self-healing mobile networks.
Deutsche Telekom will showcase its AI agent alongside Google Cloud at the Mobile World Congress in early March. In the future, similar AI agents could enhance digital signage networks, making them smarter, more secure, and more autonomous.
