BT Group Chief Executive Allison Kirkby recently discussed the potential impact of artificial intelligence on the ongoing significant job cuts at the British telecoms company, as reported by the Financial Times. Kirkby mentioned that the company's plans to eliminate over 40,000 jobs and reduce costs by 3 billion pounds by the end of the decade may not fully account for the potential of AI.

She highlighted that depending on the insights gained from AI, there could be an opportunity for BT to further downsize by the end of the decade, according to the FT.

Back in 2023, Britain's largest broadband and mobile provider announced its intentions to cut up to 55,000 jobs, including contractors, by 2030. Former CEO Philip Jansen had emphasized the company's reliance on a smaller workforce and reduced cost base by the late 2020s.

Since taking over from Jansen a year ago, Kirkby has also hinted at the possibility of a future spin-off of Openreach, BT's network infrastructure business, as per the FT report. She expressed concerns that the value of Openreach was not adequately reflected in the company's share price, suggesting that BT might need to explore alternative options if the situation persists.

In response to inquiries from Reuters, BT clarified that Openreach is not currently a focal point for the company. However, it did not provide additional comments on Kirkby's statements in the FT interview.

Last month, BT announced that the strong demand for fibre broadband and substantial cost savings had contributed to bolstering its full-year earnings and enhancing cash flow. Despite revenue and profit declines in its business and consumer units, the resilience of Openreach helped offset these losses, particularly due to the diminishing popularity of legacy voice services and declining handset sales.

()