Go-to-Market Use Cases for Deutsche Telekom's AI Phone
Translated an open-ended AI phone concept into three concrete use cases using strategic foresight tools and qualitative research
Strategic Foresight
Research Design
AI & Technology
Innovation
ROLE
Research & Strategy
INDUSTRY
Consumer Technology & Telecommunications
Timeline
April '25 - May '25
undertaken at
Politecnico di Milano
We helped Deutsche Telekom uncover three actionable, human-centered GTM use cases for their upcoming AI phone, a radical device with no apps, only voice and AI-driven interaction.
Deutsche telekom was struggling with…
building a broader ambition to shift perception from a telecom provider to an innovation leader.
impact
Long story short…
We reimagined ASB Glassfloor’s interactive flooring as a scalable training service for aviation ground staff, tackling high turnover, long training cycles, and new bans on on-site training. We designed an immersive arena for teams to rehearse real scenarios, supported by a dashboard with a Readiness Score and a digital twin of the team to track compliance, performance, and coordination.
Along the way, we addressed critical gaps: reducing dependence on costly simulators, enabling team-based drills, and reframing ASB from a product company into a service ecosystem innovator.
The sprint’s tight three-week window and limited stakeholder access were real hurdles, but they forced sharper decisions and clearer storytelling. The result was a validated business opportunity that showed how immersive tech can move beyond spectacle to deliver resilience, efficiency, and safety where it matters most.
Reframed the ask from "finding promising use cases for the AI phone" to
What does it mean to live a good life with AI across different generations, needs, and cultures?
Market Research & Reports
We started with how are people already using technology, and what challenges do they face.
key insights
Voice as the next interface across generations
Evidence: Reports show growing adoption of AI voice assistants across all age groups, with very different roles: seniors use it for accessibility and medication reminders, young adults for multitasking, and families for coordination.
Why it mattered: This helped us frame voice not just as a tool, but as a potential intergenerational bridge something we then tested in our interviews.
Technology for aging populations is scaling fast
Evidence: KOMP by No Isolation shows inclusive tech adoption among older adults with zero digital literacy, scaling to thousands of caregivers.
Why it mattered: This confirmed older adults don’t need “simpler apps”, they need intuitive, non-app based access. It aligned with our idea of preserving intergenerational wisdom without barriers.
Smart home ecosystems & AI companions are expanding
Evidence: Samsung’s Ballie and other AI-driven domestic robots show a market trend toward empathetic, proactive companions.
Why it mattered: This gave us a signal that “AI as a companion” is already being tested in the market but most cases are superficial. We asked: what would it mean if AI companions supported deeper needs like resilience, memory, or learning?
AI assistants will reduce reliance on apps
Evidence: Gartner predicts mobile app usage will decrease by 25% by 2027 due to AI assistants (screenshot).
Why it mattered: This validated Deutsche Telekom’s hypothesis that the phone of the future may move away from app-based interaction. It pushed us to think beyond “better apps” and instead explore new AI-native interaction models.
Rising concerns about privacy and data transparency
Evidence: Pew Research and Project Alias case (screenshots) highlighted how users are deeply concerned about data collection by smart home devices and increasingly prefer transparent, customizable AI.
Why it mattered: This reinforced that trust and control must be central to any future AI phone concept, not just functionality. It also later echoed in primary research where parents wanted tools that assist but don’t replace them.
This pushed us to move beyond feature-driven thinking and instead ask: what really matters to people when they use technology in their daily life? It led us to prioritize cross-generational interviews and focus our questions on themes of time, meaning, and connection rather than convenience.
Trends & Signals
Looking at broader trends helped us step out of today’s lens and consider tomorrow’s shifts.
Aging populations (silver societies)
…highlighted that solutions shouldn’t just target digital natives but also help older generations stay connected and valued.
The rise of a knowledge culture
…suggested that people increasingly want to co-create knowledge, not just consume it, making intergenerational exchange a key opportunity.
Signals from crisis learning contexts
…such as homeschooling during the pandemic or refugee education gaps , revealed how fragile and inequitable access to learning can be.
Digital distraction and doomscrolling
…stood out as growing concerns, especially for younger generations, where attention and resilience were at risk.
These signals broadened our scope and encouraged us to benchmark global well-being indexes like the World Happiness Report, where we discovered missing dimensions such as digital well-being, time poverty, and intergenerational connection. We also decided not to limit ourselves to “probable” futures but to explore desirable ones, futures where AI supports equity and meaning.
Blue Sky Research
To stretch our imagination beyond the immediate market and user needs, we used foresight tools, Poet’s Intuition, Weak Signals, and Roots, drawing from culture, media, technology, and enduring human behaviors.
Poet’s Intuition
We turned to films, series, and cultural artifacts as “windows into the future.” Works like Her and Ex Machina showed both intimacy and risk in human-AI relationships, while Inside Out reminded us that emotional literacy is as critical as cognitive learning. Black Mirror pushed us to question the darker trajectories of dependency, while Big Hero 6 illustrated AI as a caring companion. These narratives inspired us to design use cases where AI could support, not replace emotional connection and learning.
Weak Signals
Scanning early signals of change, we noted experiments such as Samsung’s Ballie and Cozmo by Anki, which showed AI moving from tools to companions in the home. We also tracked adoption signals in smart devices, the rise of conversational AI, and societal pressures like increasing burnout. These hinted at a future where people expect AI to be ambient, emotionally tuned, and supportive in everyday life, especially across generations.
Roots
Finally, we grounded our exploration in enduring human constants: the need for connection, storytelling, memory, and trust. Here, inspirations like I, Robot and Humans of New York reminded us that every technological leap must return to universal human drivers, autonomy, dignity, and emotional resilience. By framing AI around these roots, we could avoid designing fleeting novelties and instead craft futures that feel both meaningful and sustainable.
Benchmarking Well-Being & Spotting the Gaps
To anchor “the good life” in real-world metrics, we studied established global indexes such as the World Happiness Report and the Quality of Life Index. These highlighted factors like health, income, safety, and social support — but also revealed blind spots:
Attention Fragmentation: Doomscrolling and micro-learning created shallow engagement, especially in pre-teens.
Learning in Crisis: From homeschooling to refugee adaptation, many lacked support systems during disruption.
Time Poverty: A proven drag on well-being, leaving people with less energy for purposeful activities.
Primary Research
We conducted in-depth interviews with pre-teens, parents, and elderly participants.
Our questions probed into:
Daily routines and sources of joy or stress.
How they learn new things or maintain existing skills.
Where they feel technology supports them — and where it creates friction.
Their aspirations for connection, independence, and growth.
83%
all interviewees
(10/12) emphasized the importance of maintaining meaningful human connection with their family and friends.
50%
all interviewees
(6/12) mentioned that they believe AI could have a role in preserving memories and stories from the past.
100%
pre-teens
(6/6) said they actively use AI or digital tools for learning, but often feel overwhelmed or distracted by them.
80%
elderly participants
(4/5) showed little interest in adopting new technologies unless they help them stay connected or feel useful.
66%
elderly participants
(2/3) said they use technology mainly to connect with family, not for self-use.
50%
pre-teens
(3/6) mentioned they would prefer a learning companion that behaves like a friend, not a teacher.
parents
67%
(2/3) said they often lacked time for emotionally meaningful interactions with their children during the week.
75%
parents and elderly
(6/8) expressed concern over children becoming too dependent on their phones for learning or emotional support.
Opportunity areas that emerged
Tech Fatigue
Overstimulation and overwhelm from digital tools.
Respectful Boundaries
Need for control without surveillance.
Emotional Disconnect
Gaps in intergenerational emotional exchange.
Memory Transfer
Desire for emotionally rich, reflective tech experiences.
Meaning-Seeking
Desire for emotionally rich, reflective tech experiences.
Final solution
Bridging the multigenerational divide through Innovation.
From our research, we realized that technology often overlooks the most human aspects of life — connection, emotional well-being, and the exchange of knowledge across generations. To bridge this gap, we designed three interconnected use cases that reimagine how AI can become an enabler of human connection. Each use case reflects a different entry point into family life — emotional support, heritage preservation, and storytelling — yet together, they form a holistic system where AI helps strengthen relationships and make everyday interactions more meaningful.
Connection OS
An emotionally intelligent layer that turns raw voice inputs into supportive actions like reminders, rituals, and nudges helping tim poor parents maintain meaningful family connections. It reduces emotional fatigue by analyzing tone, detecting stress, and recommending simple, human-centered ways to connect.
Heritage Capsule
A living digital archive that allows grandparents to preserve and share memories, recipes, and stories through AI-guided prompts. It transforms heritage into interactive family rituals, ensuring cultural knowledge and identity are valued and co-created across generations.
Story Companion
An AI companion that turns grandparents’ stories into engaging, age-appropriate formats such as comics, games, or interactive prompts. It encourages curiosity, helps children interpret emotional content, and creates fun entry points for bonding with older generations.
Reflection
This project taught me the power of systems thinking and the importance of addressing cultural mindsets, not just operational barriers.
By mapping the ecosystem and reframing the narrative, we unlocked new pathways for impact, transforming food donation from a necessity into a celebrated norm.
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ankulkarni98@gmail.com
Anuja Kulkarni
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