Australian media reported the plan was one of the commitments the NBN made when it continuously revised its Special Access Undertaking (SAU). It outlines eight initiatives focused on improving outcomes on customers.

NBN Co's commitment to automation through AI in a statement reads: "Commitment to automate network management operations supported by artificial intelligence, especially for fault resolution, with the aim of creating an ‘intelligent, self-healing network.’”

The plan seems a general outline as it did not include specific details how it will leverage AI in the next year or the long run.

But the report mentions it will “simplify and automate key network management and operational activities in the end-to-end ecosystem."

The report said in the second half of FY24, NBN Co plans to use existing and new service diagnostic capabilities on fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) access technology. It will feature an "improved pattern alarm profiling" to identify and restore individual service faults.”

The capabilities seem to be referring to NBN Co's concept of the self-healing network.

The plan added that NBN Co will "continue to evolve the recently established dedicated remediation case management model for end-to-end connection or fault resolution."

NBN Co will work closely with retail service providers (RSPs) to streamline communications, improve clarity around restoration work and timeframes, and provide tailored services for complex sites.

“The Annual Service Improvement Plan should provide confidence for RSPs who partner with us to deliver broadband services, for Service Delivery Partners who support us in the field to upgrade technologies and support customers, and for households and businesses who are the ultimate beneficiaries of a fast, secure and reliable network,” said NBN Co chief customer officer Anna Perrin.

“Every year, we will be accountable for our detailed commitments. And we will continue to lift the bar to deliver the social and economic benefits that come from ubiquitous access to secure, reliable, high-speed broadband connectivity as we deliver on our promise to lift the digital capability of Australia.”

In its corporate plan for 2024 which was published last August, NBN Co said it is leveraging AI to improve customer service. With AI, it is expecting to have an "efficient automated operations to support anomaly detection, machine learning, and real-time network information."

"Further research is underway into the expanding field of artificial intelligence and how it may support every day activities, such as helping technicians in the field and strengthening network resilience."

Aside from AI, NBN Co said its field workforce will be expanded to around 80 new roles, which can provide regional customer with additional support for tailored services and faster connection of new orders and fault repairs.

On upgrades, NBN Co is currently expanding fibre to the premises (FTTP) to more than 7.7 million homes and businesses. The operator claimed they are on target to bring 10.2 million premises on its fixed line network to access NBN Home Ultrafast speed tier to reach speeds of close to 1Gbps.

Around 53,000 premises with underperforming fibre to the node (FTTN) are set for upgrades to FTTP connections. NBN Co will upgrade its NBN fixed wireless network to benefit more than 750,000 homes and businesses.

The fixed wireless networks' hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network will be modernised and transitioned to a distributed access architecture for increased speed and data demands as well as improved network reliability.

But despite the upgrades, Australian media reported that the plan did not include a public target on how many FTTN and FTTC premises it wants to move to full fibre in FY24.