AI Arms Race: Openmind Networks Research Reveals MNOs Turning to 'Active Defense' Shields to Counter $71B Fraud Threat

AI is no longer being treated as a growth experiment, but as a critical "Defensive Shield" required for network survival.

DUBLIN, IRELAND, February 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Openmind Networks, the leading provider of messaging technology for mobile operators, today announced the release of its Future of Messaging Report 2026. Based on independent primary research of MNOs worldwide, the report reveals a fundamental shift in the industry: AI is no longer being treated as a growth experiment, but as a critical "Defensive Shield" required for network survival.

The 2026 study highlights that while 99% of operators report readiness for AI integration, the vast majority of current deployments are concentrated on shielding the network from an increasingly sophisticated, machine-scale adversary. This "Active Defense" posture is a direct response to a fraud landscape where 80% of threats are now AI-assisted, contributing to a projected $71 billion in global subscriber losses this year.

Key Findings: The Architecture of the Shield

Prioritizing Protection Over Profit: Current AI deployments are heavily weighted toward defensive operations: Fraud Detection (90%), Network Optimization (71%), and Traffic Routing (65%).

The "Zero-Day" Response: Operators are abandoning legacy, rule-based firewalls for AI-driven Deep Content Inspection, enabling the detection of polymorphic scams that evolve in real-time to bypass traditional filters.

The Trust Anchor: 45% of new investment is now funneled into Network AI Diagnostics, as MNOs recognize that securing the "purity" of the A2P channel is the only way to protect the high-value RCS and Enterprise messaging markets.

“We are witnessing a paradigm shift in telecom security,” said Alex Duncan, CEO at Openmind Networks. “In 2026, the 'Defensive Shield' is no longer optional. With fraudsters using autonomous 'agentic' tools to launch hyper-personalized scams at scale, MNOs must move beyond reactive firewalls to an Active Defense posture. Our research shows that the industry is arming the network core first to ensure that the messaging ecosystem remains a trusted platform for global commerce.”

What to Watch: The Monetization Gap

While the report confirms near-universal AI readiness, it also exposes a "Monetization Paradox." Despite the heavy technical rollout of defensive shields, over two-thirds (69%) of operators report annual financial returns from AI of less than $50,000. The report suggests that the next phase of industry evolution will depend on whether operators can "expose" these defensive AI capabilities at the service layer to create new, monetizable enterprise-facing offerings.
The Future of Messaging Report 2026 provides a definitive, evidence-led benchmark for this transition, offering the critical insights required for MNOs to navigate the "Intelligent Pivot."
The full report is now available for download at:
www.openmindnetworks.com/future-of-messaging-report-2026/

About Openmind Networks

Openmind Networks is an independent technology company focused on mobile messaging software services for the telecom industry. Its messaging solutions enable firms to consolidate core messaging, protect their networks, and unlock the potential in business messaging and 5G. Openmind Networks delivers more than 2 billion messages per day for the world's largest mobile operators, wholesalers, and aggregators.

Brendan Tobin
Openmind Networks
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