Orange deploys OpenAI’s open-weight models across 26 countries with full data control

Orange has partnered with OpenAI to deploy new open-weight AI models—gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b—entirely within its own sovereign infrastructure across 26 countries. This deployment allows the French telecom giant to maintain complete data control while customizing AI solutions for customer service, network operations, and enterprise clients, positioning Orange as among the first organizations globally to integrate these models under strict data governance standards.

What you should know: Orange can host and run OpenAI’s models entirely within its own infrastructure, from large-scale French data centers to smaller edge environments.

• The open-weight nature of the gpt-oss models ensures compliance with regulatory frameworks across Orange’s 26-country footprint in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
• Orange’s AI engineering teams are customizing these models for specific applications including customer service, network management, and enterprise solutions.
• This approach reduces compute requirements while maintaining performance, aligning with Orange’s focus on energy-efficient AI development.

African language inclusion prioritized: Orange is leveraging the partnership to accelerate digital inclusion efforts across its 18-country African operations.

• The company is adapting models to support local languages spoken across its African footprint, enabling customer-facing tools like chatbots and voice assistants to function in native tongues.
• Orange plans to make some of these models available as open source to regional governments for public services applications.

Network operations enhancement: The telecom operator is developing AI tools to support diagnostics, automation, and performance optimization for sensitive network operations.

• Because the models run on Orange-controlled infrastructure, they can be applied to sensitive use cases like network data analysis while maintaining data sovereignty.
• This capability addresses the growing need for AI solutions that can handle confidential telecommunications data without external dependencies.

Enterprise portfolio expansion: Orange aims to meet growing demand for flexible, secure AI tools tailored to specific industries and regulatory environments.

• The company will offer clients AI solutions based on these open models, including custom chatbots and voice recognition systems.
• This strategy allows Orange to provide enterprise customers with AI capabilities that comply with strict data governance requirements.

What they’re saying: Leadership from both companies emphasized the strategic importance of responsible AI deployment.

• “This collaboration with OpenAI is foundational to our strategy of using state-of-the-art AI models that are both trusted and responsible,” said Steve Jarrett, Orange’s chief AI officer.
• Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, noted: “Our ongoing work with Orange shows how forward-thinking businesses can use our open models to solve real-world problems — from boosting network efficiency to improving African language support, they are delivering meaningful benefits directly to their customers.”