NTT is one of the most powerful technology conglomerates in the world. As a telecommunications giant, the company operates a global network infrastructure, ranks among the top three data center providers worldwide, and employs more than 330,000 people. Through its NTT Data subsidiary, it boasts deep expertise in cybersecurity, next-gen networking, quantum research, and enterprise IT services. With these assets, NTT should be positioned as an industry-defining force in the AI-powered future. However, at its recent NTT Research Upgrade 2025 event, it chose not to lead. Instead, a bold, clear articulation of vision and ambition became a disjointed series of ideas, framed more as academic explorations than strategic imperatives. Lofty language, vague metaphors, and philosophical asides dominated the company’s core messaging. While the technology showcased was real and impressive, the leadership tone was tentative — more deferential to partners than a directive to the market. In short, NTT missed the moment, which is a strategic misstep for a company with its capabilities. Ambitious Language, Unclear Strategy NTT Executive Chairman Jun Sawada opened the keynote with expansive, almost poetic language. He spoke about “upgrading reality,” building a “network of AIs,” and promoting a “pluralistic value society.” He referenced philosophical inquiries and the creation of the Kyoto Institute of Philosophy, aiming to bring together Eastern and Western thought in shaping the future of human-AI coexistence. These are intriguing themes. However, they lacked anchoring in a keynote intended to showcase technology leadership — which turned into a couple of fireside-style chats. There was little connection to product roadmaps, customer impact, or near-term business outcomes. Sawada spoke of IOWN — the company’s ambitious, Innovative Optical and Wireless Network — but left unexplained how this infrastructure uniquely enables or differentiates NTT in the AI race. Sawada mentioned the importance of connecting AIs to build a “heterogeneous world” but stopped short of detailing what NTT is building to realize that goal. The result? The keynote felt more like a symposium on the philosophy of technology than a declaration of leadership. For NTT, whose customer base includes some of the world’s most demanding enterprise and government clients, that was a missed opportunity to inspire confidence. Research Focus Felt Like Strategic Retreat Kazu Gomi, CEO of NTT Research, doubled down on the company’s commitment to basic research. He described NTT’s Silicon Valley-based research labs and their work in applied physics, cryptography, and cardiovascular bio digital twins. To his credit, he was refreshingly candid in admitting that much of this research may not become a commercial product in the near term. Again, this level of scientific humility is understandable from a university lab. However, from a Fortune Global 100 enterprise, it comes across as strategic deferral. Gomi introduced a new concept called “Physics of AI,” which is meant to demystify how AI systems work and increase their trustworthiness. However, his description leaned heavily on metaphors, such as apples falling from trees and Newtonian physics, and lacked tangible proof points or technical framing. Yet, there was no discussion of frameworks, metrics, or deliverables. There is no sense of how this new initiative would generate a competitive advantage for NTT or its customers. There was no call to action for industry partners; it was just an abstract pitch. In a world where competitors like Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and Google are integrating AI into everything from data centers to developer tools, NTT’s insistence on staying in the research phase feels like a reluctance to lead. Snowflake and NTT Data Filled the Vacuum Ironically, the most substantive content of the event came from outside NTT’s core corporate leadership. Snowflake CEO Sridhar Ramaswamy delivered a practical, compelling roadmap for enterprise AI adoption. He described how Snowflake helps clients extract value from their internal data, build AI copilots, and deploy production-grade chatbots. He emphasized trust, efficiency, and ease of deployment—core values that enterprise buyers care deeply about. NTT Data CEO Abhijit Dubey provided a similarly focused perspective. He highlighted four innovation areas: quantum computing, voice mining, attribute-based encryption, and trusted data spaces. Each was tied to real-world customer stories: BMW, Japan Post Bank, and smart city pilots. These were clear, testable use cases tied to value delivery. But therein lies the disconnect. These leaders made the case for innovation. NTT itself did not. While Snowflake and NTT Data sounded like organizations building and delivering the future, NTT Corporation remained in the background — host to a conversation it should have been driving. Failure To Connect the Dots NTT has everything it needs to be a global technology leader in the AI era: A top-tier worldwide fiber and wireless network Massive data center presence, especially in high-growth markets like India Deep talent in quantum science, cybersecurity, and encryption An enterprise customer base that spans industries and continents An IT services division (NTT Data) that is among the largest in the world But Upgrade 2025 failed to tie these assets into a coherent strategic narrative. There was no aggressive positioning of IOWN as the backbone for AI-native networking. There was no clear articulation of how NTT’s data center footprint enables sovereign AI or edge intelligence. No insight was provided into how NTT’s research labs fuel product innovation pipelines, and perhaps most surprisingly, there was no bold statement about how NTT intends to compete in an industry that is moving at unprecedented speed. NTT didn’t use its stage to declare leadership. It used it to float ideas and host guests. For a company of its size, that’s a passive stance and a missed opportunity to drive the conversation forward. The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever Enterprise buyers are not looking for abstract promises. They want trusted partners who can deliver secure, scalable AI infrastructure, integrate with their systems, and help them navigate complexity. Government clients want solutions they can control and deploy locally. Telecom and cloud operators are battling to redefine the role of connectivity in an AI-native world. NTT could lead all of these markets. It has the assets. It has the talent, and, most crucially, it has the credibility. But to compete, it must first lead with confidence and clarity. Upgrade 2025 was a chance to assert its leadership and showcase NTT’s technology, purpose, business model, and vision for where the AI-powered enterprise is going. Instead, it chose the safety of abstraction. Final Thoughts: A Stage Missed NTT doesn’t need consumer recognition. It doesn’t sell smartphones or search engines. Its impact is felt behind the scenes — where networks are built, data is stored, and enterprise systems are connected. That makes forums like Upgrade 2025 especially important. They are the rare public moments where NTT can show the market what it stands for. Unfortunately, the company didn’t do itself any favors at this year’s event. It did not strengthen its position as an unabashed thought leader. It did not clarify how its formidable portfolio of technologies, across infrastructure, research, and services, comes together to solve enterprise and societal challenges — and it certainly did not project urgency. In a market where AI adoption is now a race — not a roadmap — NTT’s hesitance to lead was palpable. The company may have world-class technology and ideas, but at Upgrade 2025, it left leadership on the table.