AI’s mega bandwidth usage: how can businesses prepare?

Understanding how AI is going to impact your business can be challenging, especially when it comes to considering cloud and communication infrastructure.     There’s a lot of conflicting information out there and it doesn’t that help that many LinkedIn timelines are starting to show advice from a new wave of ‘AI Gurus’, who can make things seem more complicated than they are!    Here at TalkTalk Business, we’re planning for a future that includes the continued evolution of AI. As part of this, we’re exploring how businesses must prepare for increased bandwidth demands with solutions like 10Gb ethernet connectivity.   

What are the latest AI trends that are leading businesses to eat up their bandwidth?   

  • In 2024, Generative AI (GenAI) is driving new computing trends and accelerated bandwidth use. GenAI environments – which can generate imagery, audio and synthetic data – demand robust infrastructure, including everything from specialised networking cards, high-performance computing systems and a lightning-fast business internet to match, such as 10Gb. 

  • According to a Forbes report, by the end of 2024, AI is projected to manage 85% of all business relationships with customers. Cutting-edge analytics will refine customer interactions, and customers will begin to expect personalised experiences based on their preferences and previous actions. This will be a bandwidth heavy task as data needs to be transmitted quickly and efficiently for real-time monitoring and decision making. 

  • Even small businesses with high bandwidth are adopting AI. In a report in Q3 of 2024, many small business owners said they are finding the right AI tools to help them save on personnel costs, while freeing up time. 

  • And while all of this is going on, Enterprise-level AI customisation is on the rise. Big businesses are embracing tailored AI apps that are designed to meet specific business needs. An example of this might be a UK-wide retail chain adopting region-specific AI models trained on data such as customer preferences and cultural nuances. 

  • AI is also a national priority which will no doubt, influence the behaviour of businesses. In February 2024, the UK government unveiled plans to invest over £100 million in AI research and training. As of February 2024, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Michelle Donela, believes AI can transform public services, the economy, and even find treatments for diseases like cancer and dementia. 

How are these AI trends using up so much bandwidth? 

So, we’ve established the broader increase in AI application among businesses, but why is it that AI can eat up your bandwidth? There are lots of different ways data-heavy AI applications can take their toll, including: 

  • The largest AI workloads are pushing the physical limits of many technical devices and connectivity solutions. Things such as memory capacity limitations can amplify performance and efficiency losses at a large scale.  

  • Large language models (LLMs) are used frequently to train AI, but LLMs consume a massive amount of network bandwidth, slowing traffic and creating bottlenecks. This affects time-to-market for deploying advanced AI tools. 

It is primarily the big AI demands that really start to eat up bandwidth. If your company is just starting to experiment with text-based AI such as Chat GPT or CoPilot, then you probably don’t need to worry about your bandwidth capabilities, at least not just yet. 

My company is using complex AI, how can our IT teams prepare? 

The simple answer is that ethernet or ‘leased line’ services are a near-perfect consideration when it comes to supporting complex AI. Specifically, to meet AI’s largest demands, a 10Gb leased line that provides lightning-fast business-grade internet access will ensure seamless connectivity. 

10Gb is a high-speed ethernet technology that transmits data at 10 gigabits per second. We’ve seen this service gain immense popularity in high-speed storage networks and data-led companies, but it is becoming even more popular across the board with the advancement of AI.  

A 10Gb setup is ideal for generative AI and bespoke AI solutions, but even if you’re not using these tools yet, when making connectivity decisions for your business today, it’s prudent to keep one eye on what the future might hold too.  

And remember, by choosing a provider like TalkTalk Business, you get more than just 10Gb connectivity – you get a service partner that has your best interests at heart. 

For more information about what this service can offer you, click here to see our product page. Or, call our expert team on 03300 297 465.

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