Large Language Models (LLMs) have emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing numerous fields well beyond the conventional domain of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and garnering unprecedented attention. As LLM technology continues to progress, the telecom industry is facing the prospect of its potential impact on its landscape. To elucidate these implications, we delve into the inner workings of LLMs, providing insights into their current capabilities and limitations. We also examine the use cases that can be readily implemented in the telecom industry, streamlining numerous tasks that currently hinder operational efficiency and demand significant manpower and engineering expertise. Furthermore, we uncover essential research directions that deal with the distinctive challenges of utilizing the LLMs within the telecom domain. Addressing these challenges represents a significant stride towards fully harnessing the potential of LLMs and unlocking their capabilities to the fullest extent within the telecom domain.

翻译：大语言模型（LLM）已崛起为一支变革性力量，不仅颠覆了自然语言处理（NLP）的传统领域，更在众多学科中引发空前关注。随着LLM技术的持续演进，电信行业正面临其潜在影响重塑产业格局的前景。为阐明这些影响，我们深入剖析了LLM的内在运行机制，揭示了其当前能力与局限的深层见解。同时，我们考察了可在电信行业立即落地的应用场景，这些场景能够简化当前制约运营效率、依赖大量人力和工程专业知识的诸多任务。此外，我们揭示了应对电信领域运用LLM特有挑战的关键研究方向。攻克这些挑战，将是充分释放LLM潜力、在电信领域最大化激发其能力的关键一步。