Beneath the waves lies an intricate network of submarine cables powering global communications. Stretching across continents, these underwater marvels carry 99% of transoceanic data traffic, facilitating emails, video streaming, cloud computing, and even financial transactions.
Valued at USD 29.150 million in 2024, the global submarine cable market is projected to reach USD 56.96 billion by 2035, growing at a 6.3% annual rate, according to Future Market Insights. This growth is being driven by the growing demand for higher bandwidth, cloud computing, and data centers, alongside significant investments from governments, telecom operators, and hyperscalers, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.
Although artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries, it is also transforming the submarine cable ecosystem. By integrating AI, these underwater infrastructures are poised to fortify connectivity across the world.
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AI and the Hidden Backbone of Global Communications
Often referred to as the world’s information superhighways, submarine cables form the foundation of global connectivity. Between 2025 and 2035, Future Market Insights predicts the submarine cable market’s expansion to be driven by AI-facilitated network optimization, quantum communications, and environmentally friendly cable production.
AI will enable predictive maintenance and prevent potential outages. These advancements are pivotal as modern devices evolve to generate real-time data for enhanced analytics and performance.
AI’s ability to learn from complex data patterns is changing how submarine cables are safeguarded. By analyzing telemetry data such as temperature, pressure, and signal quality, AI can identify faults and address them before failures occur. Machine learning (ML) models can also detect maritime threats such as fishing vessels or anchors nearing cable routes, while AI simulations help telcos plan alternate routes to ensure continuous service.
Moreover, AI-powered systems significantly enhance security by detecting network traffic anomalies and thwarting potential cyber threats, safeguarding critical information from theft.
AI’s impact transcends mere operational efficiency in subsea cable infrastructures. According to Geoff Bennett, Director of Solutions and Technology at Infinera, AI is transforming submarine line-terminating equipment (SLTE), automating network planning, optimizing capacity, and enabling proactive threat monitoring.
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Modern Submarine Cable Infrastructure Challenges
The submarine cable industry has been powering global communications for decades. Despite technological advancements, submarine cables remain vulnerable to a range of physical and digital threats that require stringent solutions.
Traditionally, geological activities, including earthquakes, harsh weather conditions, and human activities such as anchor-dragging and fishing gear entanglement have disrupted cable operations. Deliberate sabotage has also been a concern. For instance, Chungwha Telecom’s Trans-Pacific Express cable was involved in an incident near Taiwan in 2025. The suspected damage involved a Chinese vessel which highlighted geopolitical tensions.
Today, digital threats further complicate submarine cable challenges, with cyber hackers infiltrating network management systems to disrupt data flow or exploit sensitive information.
With over 95% of international data routed through fiber optic cables, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), espionage threats remain a critical concern, as national security secrets pass through underwater networks.
Safeguarding Submarine Cables with AI
In 2020, NATO emphasized the need to safeguard transatlantic cables from potential cyberattacks and sabotage. AI serves as a promising solution to addressing digital vulnerabilities, some of which include enhanced encryption capabilities, automated threat detection systems, and predictive maintenance to avert disruptions.
Traditional inspection methods have relied on survey vessels equipped with sonar systems or remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), both of which have deep-sea limitations. These survey vessels have high operational costs and are inefficient due to restricted operational mobility and coverage. To address these challenges, researchers from Shenyang Institute of Automation in China suggested utilizing autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with side-scan sonar (SSS) to track underwater cables in 2024. The study proposed a non-myopic receding-horizon optimization (RHO) strategy to enhance cable imaging quality and minimize imaging jitters.
As the adoption of 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and the arrival of 6G accelerates, the reliance on submarine cables to sustain global connectivity will increase. By integrating AI technologies, submarine cables are becoming better equipped to meet the growing demands of the digital landscape.
Telecom Egypt uses Ciena’s AI-powered Blue Planet platform to monitor and optimize its vast network of cables across the Mediterranean and Red Sea. This integration ensures real-time visualization and proactive threat detection, significantly strengthening operational resilience and safeguarding connectivity.
Similarly, the PSI Project associated with the Medusa submarine cable system aims to develop a smart monitoring system to prevent damages to submarine cables. This system will issue warnings to detect and flag activities that could potentially harm the cables, helping to prevent damage.
Furthermore, telecommunications and data infrastructure company, Prima, partnered with Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) in 2024 to develop the world’s first Science Monitoring and Reliable Telecommunications (SMART) subsea cable system. Expected to be operational by 2026, this cutting-edge initiative integrates Advanced Climate Change Nodes (CC Nodes) into the subsea cable system, creating a real-time monitoring and warning system. This project is led by a joint task force consisting of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), World Meteorological Organizations (WMO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
Additionally, the ITU has formed the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience, aiming to strengthen cable resiliency, while NATO has introduced undersea cable protection to combat potential sabotage with a fleet of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), which patrol high-risk naval zones.
These innovations are critical as geopolitical tensions rise, particularly with China’s recent development of a cutting-edge, deep-sea, cable-cutting device that can sever underwater communication and power lines. Developed by the China Ship Scientific Research Center (CSSRC) and the State Key Laboratory of Deep-sea Manned Vehicles, this advanced technology poses a significant risk to global data transmissions.
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Futuristic, Fortified Connectivity
In the AI era, submarine cables are no longer just information channels; they are evolving into intelligent systems that redefine data transmission across continents. While challenges persist, global cooperation and a robust governance framework are needed to safeguard these critical infrastructures.
Integrating AI into the submarine cable industry is crucial as the demand for data continues to rise with the proliferation of modern technologies.
AI’s influence on the submarine cable sector will usher the world into a new era of connectivity, powered by real-time insights, predictive capabilities, and enhanced security, paving the way to a new level of communication.
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