[Independent AI Presentation] "Practical AI" Realized with 500 Billion Parameters... SKT Unveils A.X K1

First Presentation of Independent AI Foundation Model
"Future Evolution Toward Models with Over 1 Trillion Parameters"
SK Chairman Chey Tae-won Highlights AI Sovereignty in Video Message

Sukgeun Jung, Head of AI CIC at SK Telecom, is presenting at the first independent AI foundation model announcement event on the 30th. Photo by Yujin Park

"Access T World, find this week's Tday benefits, and then send me an email with places I can go with my child or benefits related to children."

On December 30, at COEX in Seoul, the Ministry of Science and ICT held the first presentation for the "Independent AI Foundation Model" project. Sukgeun Jung, Head of AI CIC at SK Telecom, played a demonstration video showing the real-world application of SKT's large-scale AI model, A.X K1. When the prompt was entered, the artificial intelligence (AI) accessed the web page directly, analyzed the complex interface, summarized the necessary information, and sent an email to the user. Jung explained, "This AI companion will efficiently assist people in their daily lives by handling repetitive tasks such as checking bills, shopping, and making reservations."

On this day, SKT officially unveiled its large-scale AI model A.X K1, which has 500 billion parameters. This is the first 500B-level model in Korea, and only a few countries outside the United States possess a model of this scale.

Jung described the core competitiveness of A.X K1 as its scale-based performance and practical functionalities. He stated, "The parameter scale is directly linked to the ability to perform more complex reasoning and solve high-level problems." A.X K1 has been intensively trained on Korean language and domestic industry data, providing features optimized for work and industrial environments. It can directly navigate web pages, summarize information tailored to user situations, and automatically handle repetitive tasks such as sending emails, making reservations, and checking bills. It also offers features such as proposing travel plans by integrating data on transportation, preferences, and tastes.

Utilization in manufacturing sites was also highlighted as a core function. A.X K1 can learn manufacturing data and worker workflows to help improve production efficiency and processes, and it is currently being tested in actual semiconductor and manufacturing environments. Jung emphasized, "Sovereign AI, which can safely learn and utilize corporate data, is the key to industrial competitiveness."

Additionally, A.X K1 serves as a "teacher model" for training small and medium-sized specialized models, and is said to be effective in reducing hallucinations. SKT plans to develop this into a digital social overhead capital (SOC) that supports the entire industry and society.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won emphasized the significance of AI sovereignty through a video message at the first independent AI foundation model presentation on the 30th. Photo by NIPA YouTube capture

At the event, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won explained the meaning of AI sovereignty through a video message. Chairman Chey stated, "No matter how robust our infrastructure and ecosystem may be, we cannot truly take the lead if we don't have our own model that understands the context and values of our industry," and added, "A.X K1 is a symbol that Korea has secured the minimum self-sufficiency needed to innovate without external dependence." He continued, "No one else will protect AI sovereignty for us. When we build our industries and data on top of a model we have created ourselves, we can become a global AI powerhouse."

SKT plans to expand A.X K1 into everyday life through its AI service "A.Dot," which has 10 million users, and to accelerate AI-driven industrial transformation by applying it across key industries. Jung said, "A.X K1 is just the starting point, and we will evolve it into a model with over 1 trillion parameters, developing it into an AI that can comprehensively understand not only text but also images, video, and actions."