FG-AINN Build-a-thon 2025 Showcases AI-Driven Telecom Breakthroughs
The FG-AINN Build-a-thon 2025 concluded with a global showcase of AI-native network innovations, spotlighting India’s growing role in shaping telecom standardization. Held in New Delhi as part of the 3rd meeting of the ITU Focus Group on Autonomous Networks (FG-AINN), this event saw global participation and outstanding solutions from the top 10 teams.
Global Collaboration with a Local Impact
Jointly organized by the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the build-a-thon promoted the development of AI-native networks. The challenge aimed to fill critical gaps in telecom infrastructure through open-source Proofs of Concept (PoCs), use cases, and architectural frameworks.
Out of 23 registered teams across academia, startups, and telecom industries, 10 were shortlisted after rigorous mentoring rounds. The finalists presented solutions on network automation, self-healing systems, and AI-driven policy control.
Top Winners and Recognitions
Team SliceMinds from SRM Institute of Science & Technology emerged as the top winner with their intelligent network slicing approach. Team SNR from RVCE Bengaluru secured second place for their intent-based automation system. Nowiresattached from MIT Bengaluru stood third, showcasing autonomous fault-resolution mechanisms.
🏆 Special Awards:
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Best All-Women Team: AIONETx (VIT Chennai)
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Excellence in Mentorship: OMACS & SSN
The awards were presented by Smt. Tripti Saxena (Sr. DDG, TEC), Dr. Rajkumar Upadhyay (CEO, C-DOT), and Shri Deepesh Srivastava (AVP, Tejas Networks).
Key Innovations Unveiled
1. Practical Use Cases
Participants showcased working solutions for:
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AI-driven traffic shaping
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Self-healing networks
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Intent-based automation
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Network slicing using JSON frameworks
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RF beamforming simulations
2. AI-Powered Prototypes
From LLM-powered knowledge bases to packet classification tools and cross-layer integration using bi-directional LSTMs, the projects reflected strong alignment with real-world telecom needs.
3. Collaboration and Mentorship
The event fostered deep engagement with structured guidance, promoting ethical, inclusive, and responsible AI systems in telecom.
Spotlight on Finalist Teams
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SliceMinds: Built an Open5GS-based lab for intelligent 5G function mapping.
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AIONETx: Focused on dynamic policy injection and adaptive AI control.
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SNR: Enabled direct translation of operator intent into network actions.
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Nowiresattached: Deployed LLM agents and fault simulation via ns3.
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Cellucast: Tackled scalable RAN optimization with AI model switching.
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Sigvision: Proposed wireless signal activity detection using LSTM.
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SSN: Simulated RF planning via YAML-based AI automation.
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SPV: Integrated fake news detection into network flows using AI.
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OMACS: Showcased 5G-based health monitoring pipelines.
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TechRanger: Built an LLM-based telecom knowledge repository.
Strengthening India–ITU Collaboration
This initiative exemplifies India’s strategic collaboration with ITU to foster responsible AI for digital transformation. The event aligns with India’s vision of ethical and inclusive innovation under the National Digital Communications Policy.
The event also sets the stage for further international engagement, with potential internal link opportunities such as TEC’s Digital Twin Guidelines or ITU’s FG-AINN page.
