July 03, 2025
Deutsche Telekom Speeds Up Security Updates with IBM’s AI Tool
German telecommunications provider Deutsche Telekom is making software updates much faster and safer by using IBM’s AI-powered solution, IBM Concert. The telecom giant turned to this new tool to tackle one of IT’s biggest headaches and that is keeping systems secure by quickly installing important software patches.
Software patches are updates that fix security holes or other problems. The process of applying them across thousands of systems can take days, putting companies at risk if vulnerabilities aren’t fixed fast enough. As businesses rely on more and more apps — with a billion new ones expected by 2028, according to IDC — the pressure to patch quickly is surging.
IBM Concert helps Deutsche Telekom automate and speed up this process by bringing together all the data needed for patching. Using AI to coordinate updates, it reduces the time needed to install patches on each system from up to 90 minutes to just 20 minutes. In a pilot run, Deutsche Telekom cut the average time to fix critical vulnerabilities from 80 hours to eight hours.
This faster patching means Deutsche Telekom’s IT systems stay secure and up-to-date more effectively, while freeing up its IT teams to focus on more important work instead of spending hours on repetitive updates. It also helps the company reduce risks to its operations and stay in line with strict security and compliance requirements.
IBM originally built Concert to solve its own challenges managing complex software updates, and is now offering it to other companies facing similar issues.
Earlier this year, Deutsche Telekom partnered with Google Cloud to develop an AI-driven agent for Radio Access Network (RAN) operations, enhancing network reliability, reducing operational costs, and improving CX.