Asiacell wins five Stevie Awards for AI innovation

Asiacell won five honors at the 2026 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence, including two Gold awards for its AI assistant LAILA and its CEI+ network intelligence system. The wins put Iraq-developed telecom AI tools on a global stage as Asiacell prepares for possible 5G launch and further digital expansion.

Why it matters: - Asiacell’s five Stevie Awards signal that Iraq’s telecom sector can build AI products that compete with major global technology firms. - The wins highlight practical AI use in customer service, network optimization and predictive analytics, not just experimental automation. - The recognition could strengthen Asiacell’s position as Iraq’s leading telecom and digital services provider as it pushes deeper into AI and prepares for possible 5G service.

What happened: - Asiacell won five honors at the 2026 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. - The tally included two Gold, two Silver and one Bronze award in Artificial Intelligence categories. - The company received Gold for LAILA in “Technology Breakthrough of the Year – Artificial Intelligence – Consumer Service Industries.” - Asiacell also earned Gold for CEI+ in “Technical Innovation of the Year – Artificial Intelligence – Consumer Service Industries.” - LAILA also won two Silver Stevie Awards. - Asiacell won Bronze in “Company of the Year – Artificial Intelligence.” - The awards were announced July 28, 2026. - The ceremony is set for Oct. 28, 2026, in Paris.

The details: - LAILA launched in November 2024 as Iraq’s first AI customer assistant. - LAILA has handled millions of interactions in Arabic, Kurdish and English. - LAILA automates 76% of queries end-to-end. - Asiacell said customer satisfaction has stayed at a high score. - The Gold award for LAILA recognized an AI-first customer service model. - CEI+ measures the actual network experience of each of Asiacell’s more than 20 million customers every day. - Guided by CEI+, network optimization improved Asiacell’s overall quality score and reduced daily user complaints. - The Bronze award recognized Iraq’s first full-stack AI telecom ecosystem. - That ecosystem spans customer service, network operations and predictive analytics. - More than 180 professionals worldwide took part in judging. - The competition included companies from more than 30 countries. - Asiacell provides mobile telecommunications and digital services in Iraq. - Asiacell says it serves more than 20 million subscribers. - Asiacell says its 4G+ coverage reaches more than 99.06% of Iraq’s population.

Between the lines: - The award mix suggests Asiacell is trying to prove AI value across the full telecom stack, not in one isolated product. - The judges’ comments point to a broader validation of Iraq-built technology under difficult operating conditions. - The wins also reinforce a larger theme: emerging-market operators can develop advanced AI systems that meet international benchmarks. - Asiacell’s focus on live system integration and operational impact separates these tools from basic chatbot deployments.

What's next: - Asiacell plans to continue expanding investment in AI platforms and digital infrastructure. - The company says it is fully ready to launch 5G services once it receives regulatory approvals from the Iraqi government. - The October awards ceremony in Paris will formally recognize the winners alongside other 2026 Stevie honorees.

The bottom line: - Asiacell’s five Stevie wins position the Iraqi operator as a global contender in telecom AI, with LAILA and CEI+ serving as proof points for locally built innovation.