Announced on the 5th at 'SK AI Summit 2024'
Linking to sub-agents by understanding user intent
SK Telecom is unveiling its global-oriented artificial intelligence (AI) agent, 'Ester (A*)', for the first time.
According to SKT on the 5th, Jung Seok-geun, Vice President and Head of SKT's Global & AI Tech Business Division, will reveal 'Ester' during a panel discussion on building a telecom-centered AI ecosystem at the 'SK AI Summit 2024'. Vice President Jung will participate as the moderator and deliver a keynote presentation. He stated, "The opportunity in the AI agent domain has arrived as we overcome the pain points users experience with existing AI services."
'Ester' means 'a companion guiding people's daily lives' and embodies three meanings: ▲ the asterisk (*) used to check important tasks ▲ a guide leading one's daily life in an efficient direction ▲ and the asterisk's meaning in programming languages representing infinite connections and expansions.
The logo symbolizes both a close network with global telecom companies and the familiar dial asterisk used by mobile users.
According to SKT, Ester aims to be an 'agentic AI' technology that not only handles simple Q&A and searches but also sets goals, plans, and executes tasks based on user requests. Ester will undergo a closed beta test this year and seek global expansion opportunities starting with a launch in the North American market next year.
Ester understands user intent through conversation, generates task lists, and connects to sub-agents that perform detailed functions.
For example, if a user requests, "Help me prepare dinner for a party this weekend," Ester clarifies the user's intent through dialogue such as "Would you prefer a chicken salad dish or a turkey vegetable stir-fry?"
Then, it suggests appropriate recipes, breaks down the to-do list including ingredients and cooking steps, prioritizes tasks, and links to services where ingredients can be purchased.
Ester aims to deliver core values to users such as ▲ easy and simple planning ▲ thorough and meticulous management ▲ and prompt responses.
In addition, SKT plans to enter the North American market by collaborating with global search services, large language model (LLM) developers, and third-party apps. To this end, the company has pursued global partnerships this year, including establishing a partnership with Perplexity.
Vice President Jung said, "'Ester' is a single app, but it is supported by an AI ecosystem encompassing all AI domains for individuals, regions, and countries," adding, "We will cooperate extensively with global tech companies to provide an AI agent that is easy to use and highly practical for customers worldwide."
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