Networks, AI, Quantum

Yesterday, generative AI; today, Agentic AI; tomorrow, Quantum computing... Technological breakthroughs are colliding. They are accelerating, combining, and interacting, constantly redefining economic and operational balances. 

In a world saturated with innovation, the real challenge for businesses isn’t adopting yet another technology, but to maintain control of their digital infrastructures while integrating new capabilities that have become essential to their competitiveness. It is in this tension between technological acceleration and long-term control that the success of digital transformations is now being played out.

Faced with rapid technological change, it’s tempting to think in terms of stacking solutions for every new use, every new promise. We have made a different choice. Rather than chasing what is constantly changing, we focus on what is not changing. 

Our strategy is resolutely customer-driven. The fundamental expectations of businesses have not changed: ensuring business continuity, serving their customers under all circumstances - even in times of on-going crisis -supporting uninterrupted growth, and improving employee experience. These needs, though simple in appearance, demand a strong requirement: robust, flexible infrastructures that can be managed sustainably over time.

Networks were originally designed to meet the needs of the general public, largely shaped by our consumption of content such as video on-demand, streaming, and social media. These uses, which are highly predictable in both volume and behavior, currently account for most network traffic. In this context, networks are well-equipped to support the current uses of large language models. 

Tomorrow, with the rise of the Internet of Agents, the scale and nature of network demands will shift dramatically. Billions of agents—software, sensors, industrial systems, robots, and energy networks—will interact autonomously. These interactions will introduce volatility, new traffic patterns, and behaviors far less predictable. This new pressure on infrastructure compels us to rethink networks. In response to this trajectory, our approach is clear: platformization. 

Platformization is not an abstract technological promise — it is a new way for companies to consume infrastructure services. By adopting Platformization, companies gain flexibility, consuming network and security services much like they do with cloud services. This approach is grounded in a simple belief: you can't transform critical infrastructure overnight. As with cloud, the transition is gradual, supported by guidance and, above all, freedom of choice. Network as a Service is central to this approach: rather than imposing a single model, it offers a modular and scalable framework allowing each company to progress at its own pace, according to its unique constraints and priorities.

Being in the driver's seat, not the passenger seat — that's what's at stake. Whether in shared, sovereign, or private environments for critical sectors, this approach enables organizations to align technological choices with business challenges in a sustainable way, without ever losing control. 

Some disruptions are more fundamental than others—quantum computing is a prime example. When quantum computers reach scale—capable of manipulating enough logical qubits with low error rates and faster processing—they will challenge the very foundations of digital security, particularly the encryption mechanisms that currently protect all our communications.

Anticipating this moment is not an option; it is a responsibility. That is why we are already integrating post-Quantum challenges into our network strategy, preparing our infrastructure to evolve seamlessly without undermining the three pillars that support it: connectivity, cloud, and cybersecurity. This isn’t about adding complexity; it’s about building future-proof architectures. At Orange Business, we are therefore continuing to invest heavily in our critical infrastructure: our backbone, our ships to secure our submarine cables, and our satellite teleports. These are often invisible but essential choices. In a world where digital dependencies are total, independence, security, and control of networks have become major strategic priorities for both businesses and governments.

Digital transformation is not just about infrastructure—it is fundamentally human. Behind every system, there are professions, practical uses, and operational realities. When technology simplifies daily life, reduces cognitive load, or frees up time, it truly fulfills its purpose. The infrastructures of tomorrow must multiply efficiency and comfort, not introduce new sources of friction.

Now more than ever, the role of CIOs is to make choices that stand the test of time. Our responsibility at Orange Business is to empower them to do so — with clarity, freedom, and confidence.