Source: Fortune
Summary
Lumen Technologies has hired Jim Fowler as its new chief technology and product officer, succeeding Dave Ward. Fowler, who previously served on Lumen’s board, aims to achieve a 50% reduction in new product development cycle time using AI. Lumen is undergoing a strategic transformation under CEO Kate Johnson, who joined in 2022. The company aims to save $1 billion in network costs by 2027 and is leveraging AI to achieve this goal.
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The strategy enters a familiar phase.
Lumen’s transformation under Johnson focuses on reducing debt and prioritizing private companies and public sector organizations. Fowler’s goal is to cut product development time in half using AI. The company has made progress in cloud computing and AI adoption, with over 90% of employees having a Microsoft Copilot license.
Fowler aims to modernize Lumen’s disparate operations and expand its physical and digital layers. The company is planning to more than double its fiber network over the next two years.
The numbers tell one story, but Lumen’s transformation is also about changing its mindset from a network infrastructure company to a tech company.
Author: Evan Null
