_There is a common debate on how Edge Computing Platforms for Anomalies Detection can be used. In this blog, we will cover details about it._ ### Introduction Anomalies are a widespread problem across many businesses, and the telecommunications sector is no exception. Anomalies in telecommunications can be linked to system effectiveness, unauthorized access, or forgery, and therefore can present in a number of telecommunications procedures. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become more prominent in overcoming these issues. Telecommunication invoices are among the most complicated invoices that may be created in any sector. With such a large quantity and diversity of goods and services available, mistakes are unavoidable. Products are made up of product specifications, and the massive amount of these features, as well as their numerous pairings, gives rise to such diversity (Tang et al., 2020). Goods and services – and, as a result, the invoicing process – are becoming even more difficult under 5G. Various corporate strategies, such as ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC), enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), and large machine-type communication, are being addressed by service providers. Alongside 5G, the 3GPP proposed the idea of [network slicing](/blog/network-slicing-advantages-hybrid-cloud-computing/) (NW slice) and the related service-level agreements (SLAs), adding still another layer to the invoicing procedure's complexities. ### How Do Network Operators Discover Invoice Irregularities? Invoice mistakes are a well-known issue in the telecom business, contributing to invoicing conflicts and customer turnover. These mistakes have a significant monetary and personal impact on service providers. To discover invoice abnormalities, most network operators use a combination of traditional and computerized techniques. The manual method is typically dependent on sampling procedures that are determined by company regulations, availability of materials, personal qualities, and knowledge. It's sluggish and doesn't cover all of the bills that have been created. These evaluations can now use regulation digitization to identify patterns and provide additional insight into massive data sets, thanks to the implementation of IT in business operations (Preuveneers et al., 2018). The constant character of the telecom business must also be considered, and keeping up would imply a slowdown in the introduction of new goods and services to the marketplace. <img src={require('./img/Edge-Computing-Platform-for-Anomalies-Detection-768x403.jpg').default} alt="Edge Computing Platform for Anomalies Detection" width="500" height="270"/> <br/> ### How AI and Machine Learning Can Help Overcome Invoice Anomaly Detection An AI-based system may detect invoicing abnormalities more precisely and eliminate false-positive results. Non-compliance actions with concealed characteristics that are hard for humans to detect are also easier to identify using AI (Oprea and Bâra, 2021). Using the procedures below, an AI system learns to recognize invoice anomalous behavior from a collection of data: 1. Data from invoices is incorporated into an AI system. 2. Data points are used to create AI models. 3. Every instance a data point detracts from the model, a possible invoicing anomaly is reported. 4. The invoice anomaly is approved by a specific domain. 5. The system applies what it has learned from the activity to the data model for future projections. 6. Patterns continue to be collected throughout the system. Before delving into the details of AI, it's vital to set certain ground rules for what constitutes an anomaly. Anomalies are classified as follows: - **Point anomalies**: A single incident of data is abnormal if it differs significantly from the others, such as an unusually low or very high invoice value. - **Contextual anomalies**: A data point that is ordinarily regular but becomes an anomaly when placed in a specific context. - **Collective anomalies**: A group of connected data examples that are anomalous when viewed as a whole but not as individual values. When many point anomalies are connected together, they might create collective anomalies (Anton et al., 2018). <img src={require('./img/5-key-benefits-of-anomaly-detection-768x326.jpg').default} alt="Key Benefits of Anomaly Detection" width="500" height="290"/> <br/> ### Implications of AI and Machine Learning in Anomaly Detection All sectors have witnessed a significant focus on AI and Machine Learning technologies in recent years, and there's a reason why AI and Machine Learning rely on data-driven programming to unearth value hidden in data. AI and Machine Learning can now uncover previously undiscovered information and are the key motivation for their use in invoice anomaly detection (Larriva-Novo et al., 2020). They assist network operators in deciphering the unexplained causes of invoice irregularities, provide genuine analysis, increased precision, and a broader range of surveillance. ### Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI) The data input into an AI/ML algorithm is only as strong as the algorithm itself. When implementing the invoice anomaly algorithm, it must react to changing telecommunications data. Actual data may alter its features or suffer massive reforms, requiring the algorithm to adjust to these changes. This necessitates continual and rigorous monitoring of the model. Common challenges include a loss of confidence and data skew. Unawareness breeds distrust, and clarity and interpretability of predicted results are beneficial, especially in the event of billing discrepancies (Imran, Jamil, and Kim, 2021). ### Conclusion for Anomaly Detection Telecom bills are among the most complicated payments due to the complexity of telecommunications agreements, goods, and billing procedures. As a result, billing inconsistencies and mistakes are widespread. The existing technique of manually verifying invoices or using dynamic regulation software to detect anomalies has limits, such as a limited number of invoices covered or the inability to identify undefined problems. AI and Machine Learning can assist by encompassing all invoice information and discovering different anomalies over time (Podgorelec, Turkanović, and Karakatič, 2019). Besides invoice anomalies, a growing number of service providers are leveraging AI and Machine Learning technology for various applications. ### **References** - Anton, S.D., Kanoor, S., Fraunholz, D., & Schotten, H.D. (2018). Evaluation of Machine Learning-based Anomaly Detection Algorithms on an Industrial Modbus/TCP Data Set. Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security. - Imran, J., Jamil, F., & Kim, D. (2021). An Ensemble of Prediction and Learning Mechanism for Improving Accuracy of Anomaly Detection in Network Intrusion Environments. Sustainability, 13(18), p.10057. - Larriva-Novo, X., Vega-Barbas, M., Villagrá, V.A., Rivera, D., Álvarez-Campana, M., & Berrocal, J. (2020). Efficient Distributed Preprocessing Model for Machine Learning-Based Anomaly Detection over Large-Scale Cybersecurity Datasets. Applied Sciences, 10(10), p.3430. - Oprea, S.-V., & Bâra, A. (2021). Machine learning classification algorithms and anomaly detection in conventional meters and Tunisian electricity consumption large datasets. Computers & Electrical Engineering, 94, p.107329. - Podgorelec, B., Turkanović, M., & Karakatič, S. (2019). A Machine Learning-Based Method for Automated Blockchain Transaction Signing Including Personalized Anomaly Detection. Sensors, 20(1), p.147. - Preuveneers, D., Rimmer, V., Tsingenopoulos, I., Spooren, J., Joosen, W., & Ilie-Zudor, E. (2018). Chained Anomaly Detection Models for Federated Learning: An Intrusion Detection Case Study. Applied Sciences, 8(12), p.2663. - Tang, P., Qiu, W., Huang, Z., Chen, S., Yan, M., Lian, H., & Li, Z. (2020). Anomaly detection in electronic invoice systems based on machine learning. Information Sciences, 535, pp.172–186.
