SKT Expands Global Partnerships with AI Pyramid Strategy

Innovation through 'AI Infrastructure, AIX, AI Services'
Meeting Humane, Betology, Supermicro
President Yoo Young-sang: "We will transform into a global AI company"

SK Telecom announced on the 15th that President Yu Young-sang and other key executives demonstrated their commitment to becoming a 'global AI company' by expanding cooperation with global partners at CES 2024, which concluded on the 12th, based on their AI Pyramid Strategy.

The AI Pyramid Strategy is a phased approach that organizes the 'self-strengthening' of advancing AI technology and creating AI services closely connected to customers, along with a 'collaboration' model centered on AI alliances, into a pyramid structure. The plan focuses on three main areas: AI infrastructure, AIX, and AI services, aiming to bring innovation across industries and daily life.

Yu Young-sang, President of SKT (first from the left in the front row), and Willy Liu, Co-founder and Vice President of Business Development at Supermicro (center in the right row), along with executives from both companies, are discussing business cooperation. Photo by SKT

President Yu Young-sang and key executives met with Humane, an AI-based device and software platform startup, to explore collaboration based on the smart wearable device 'AI PIN.'

Humane is a company recognized for its potential and has attracted investments from major global players such as Microsoft, Qualcomm, Sam Altman, SoftBank, as well as Korea’s SK Networks.

The AI PIN, Humane’s first GPT-4-based conversational wearable device, offers various functions including an AI assistant (PAA), messaging, healthcare, and real-time translation, and is gaining attention as a leading product in the on-device AI market.

SKT plans to collaborate to strengthen on-device AI competitiveness, including the domestic market launch of AI PIN and synergy creation with A. (A-dot).

In the U.S., Vetology, recognized as a global top-tier player in the veterinary X-ray field, was introduced to SKT’s developed X Caliber technology and its applications, revealing potential cooperation opportunities between the two companies.

SKT expects that X Caliber, developed with its AI technology capabilities, will further enhance diagnostic accuracy and coverage through collaboration with Vetology, aiming to secure the position as the world’s leading business operator in AI diagnostics.

Yu Young-sang, President of SKT, held various business meetings with global companies based on the AI pyramid strategy at CES 2024, which concluded on the 12th. Photo by SKT

President Yu and key executives from SKT and Sapeon met with global server manufacturer Supermicro to discuss cooperation for expanding sales of the AI semiconductor X330 recently unveiled by Sapeon.

SKT and Sapeon plan to expand global sales of the X330 through strategic collaboration, including equipping Supermicro’s AI servers with the X330, and will also pursue future cooperation in next-generation AI data center (DC) related businesses.

The cohesion of the K-AI Alliance, formed by SKT, was further strengthened at CES 2024. President Yu held in-depth discussions with major K-AI Alliance members such as Moloco, Phantom AI, MakinaRocks, and Sapeon on ways to enhance future cooperation and expand synergies.

Additionally, SKT set up an ICT Family Demo Room at the CES venue to showcase various AI technologies to global companies and hold business meetings, including ▲next-generation high-efficiency AI DC models ▲media processing and content quality enhancement platform 'AI Media Studio' ▲and 'AI Quantum Camera,' which is applied in diverse fields such as robotics, security, media, and healthcare.

President Yu stated, "Through this CES, we were able to reaffirm that SKT’s diverse AI technologies and capabilities are recognized in the global market. SKT will transform into a truly global top-tier AI company centered on the AI Pyramid Strategy based on self-strengthening and collaboration."