AWS’ Kaniz Mahdi joins TM Forum’s AI and Data Mission Board
TM Forum, the leading global alliance of telco and tech companies, today welcomes Kaniz Mahdi, Director of Technology at AWS, to the AI and Data Mission Board, strengthening collaboration between operators and cloud providers to scale trusted, interoperable AI across the connectivity ecosystem.
TM Forum’s AI Native Blueprint launched its first core operational projects — Model as a Service (MODaaS), Data Products Lifecycle Management, and Agentic Interactions Security — at Mobile World Congress last week. Together, these projects mark a major step forward in operationalising AI across core environments, with the governance, consistency and scale the industry now demands.
The appointment of Kaniz to the AI and Data Mission Board will help to align operators and cloud providers on this shared foundation, with open standards and operational rigor, and ensure its progress stays bold, practical and relentlessly outcome-driven.
As Director of Technology at AWS Industries, Kaniz is shaping how cloud and AI are redefining next‑generation connectivity, spanning network AI, 6G, and AI‑native, cloud‑first architectures. A recognised innovator across VoLTE, 5G and edge technologies, she brings deep technical authority on how AI moves from experimentation into production‑grade reality.
Kaniz Mahdi, Director of Technologies, AWS Industries, said: “Telco networks today are data-rich and primed for intelligence, and the TM Forum AI and Data Mission Board is meeting a pivotal moment for our industry — creating the foundations that will allow communications service providers to unlock the full potential of their networks. As this work advances, it will also begin establishing the AI-native foundations that will underpin the networks anticipated in the 6G era. AWS is joining this Mission Board to help accelerate this journey and support the industry's transition from today's AI-enabled networks to tomorrow's AI-native 6G networks.”
Guy Lupo, EVP, AI and Data Mission at TM Forum, said: “AI in telecom is no longer a lab experiment – it’s becoming the operating fabric for the industry. Bringing Kaniz and AWS onto our AI and Data Mission Board strengthens the coalition we need to turn the AI-Native Blueprint into real-world change: faster adoption, trusted outcomes, and AI that works across the operational ecosystem.
See the AI-Native Blueprint in action at the AI and Data Summit at DTW Ignite 2026 (June 23-25, Copenhagen), where members will share early implementations and practical lessons on scaling trusted AI beyond proof of concept.
About TM Forum
TM Forum is an alliance of over 800 organizations spanning the global connectivity ecosystem, including the world’s top ten Communication Service Providers (CSPs), top three hyperscalers and Network Equipment Providers (NEPs), vendors, consultancies and system integrators, large and small.
We provide a place for our Members to collaborate, innovate, and deliver lasting change. Together, we are building a sustainable future for the industry in connectivity and beyond.
To find out more, visit: www.tmforum.org
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TM Forum