Editorial by CEO Ryu Young-sang
March 29, 2024, marked the celebration of SKT’s 40th anniversary. Throughout the history, SKT has been a pioneering force in the ascent of Korea’s telecommunications industry, leading the country to forefront of the world’s ICT powers.
Pioneer DNA deeply embedded in SKT’s history
From the first car phone service in Korea to the world’s first CDMA commercialization in 1996, IMT-2000, 4G LTE-A and 5G services, our history has always been marked by world firsts.
The pioneer DNA deeply ingrained within SKT also extends beyond mobile communications.
We spearheaded mobile data services and the mobile content market, which includes music, film, and 3D game portals. Furthermore, we brought revolutionary changes to people’s lives by launching services like mobile navigation.
Moreover, by acquiring SK Broadband in 2008, we secured leadership in both fixed and mobile technologies, providing a wide range of services tailored to customers’ lifestyles. We also acquired SK hynix in 2012 and contributed in shaping the company into a global industry leader.
More recently, we have been accelerating commercialization of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) service in Korea through a strategic partnership with Joby Aviation, a world-leading aviation company.
SKT’s new vision to become a global AI company
The world is facing the rise of a new era with the emergence of AI. Companies leading the global economy and technology are scrambling to reorganize their business strategies around AI. Just as electricity transformed the 20th century, AI will change the way people live and work in the 21st century.
We announced our vision to become a global AI company and set forth the AI Pyramid Strategy to move fast towards realizing this goal. This year, we aim to achieve tangible results by implementing the AI Pyramid Strategy.
Leaping into the world of AI by leveraging AI capabilities and partnerships
We continued to research and invest in AI since the early 2000s, launching diverse services that combine AI and mobile telecommunications. “A.,” a personalized AI assistant (PAA) service based on voice recognition technology, was launched in 2022 and has since been enhanced to offer features like call summary and real-time call interpretation. A. will continue to evolve into a personal assistant that utilizes AI to help address customers’ challenges and innovate their daily lives.
Moreover, we have been strengthening our partnerships and collaborations with companies across the globe. We are creating a strong AI business momentum with Telco-specific large language models (LLMs) through cooperation with Anthropic and Open AI. Also, together with Deutsche Telekom, e&, Singtel, and Softbank, we launched the Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA) to develop AI technologies and explore joint business opportunities. Through close collaboration with the GTAA members, we will transform our fixed and mobile networks into AI infrastructure, and launch global PAA services.
In response to the explosive demand for AI data centers driven by the growth of AI, we are building powerful AI data center solution packages by combining the capabilities of SK Group companies including SK Hynix, SK Broadband and Sapeon. We are also cooperating with US server manufacturer Supermicro and global GPU cloud company Lambda Labs to secure AI cloud capabilities and develop global market opportunities.
We are once again taking a path untraveled to become a global AI company. With our vast expertise, global partnerships, and the deeply-embedded pioneer DNA, we are confident that we will successfully navigate the uncharted waters of AI.
