Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom, announced that SKT aims to consolidate the latest technologies from group affiliates and domestic and international partners under its “AI Pyramid 2.0” strategy to penetrate the AI Data Center (AI DC) total solution market. This strategy was revealed on March 2 during a press conference held at MWC25 in Barcelona, Spain.
The AI DC business will evolve to meet all types of customer demands in a ‘a la carte’ manner, offering a wide range of solutions from GPU rentals to small modular, customer-dedicated, and hyperscale-level AI DCs, thus accelerating the creation of an “AI Infra Super Highway.”
SKT plans to segment its AI DC business into four main models: GPUaaS (GPU as a Service), small modular AI DC, dedicated AI DC, and hyperscale AI DC to target the market. The company is already implementing its “AI Infra Super Highway” strategy to create an AI infrastructure that is easy and convenient for anyone to access. As part of this initiative, SKT opened the Gasan AI DC in Seoul last December and launched the GPUaaS subscription service.
The modular AI DC model, equipped with AI infrastructure such as GPUs and NPUs in a container-sized space, is expected to be particularly attractive to startups and research institutions needing a cost-effective and quickly deployed data center. The modular approach enables AI DC construction in as little as three months with significant cost and power efficiency benefits.
AI business initiatives include the upcoming launch of the AI B2B agent “A.Dot Biz,” targeting SK Group’s 21 affiliates to penetrate the AI B2B market. “A.Dot Biz” will offer innovations in routine tasks like conference room reservations and minutes drafting, while “A.Dot Biz Pro” will provide specialized features in areas such as tax, legal, and HR.
Globally, SKT aims to expand its AI agent “Aster” (A*) through collaborations with global telecom companies, positioning itself to establish a global presence in the AI market. Furthermore, SKT continues to enhance its own large language model (LLM) capabilities, exemplified by the internal development of “A.Dot X,” which has replaced ChatGPT in summarizing AI calls and is used in government and marketing to increase productivity.
SKT’s AI R&D center, established last year, serves as the “AI Brain” for the group, catalyzing innovation and developing next-gen AI technologies. Such efforts are supported by the SK AI DC Testbed in Pangyo, a site for testing advanced technologies like NVIDIA chips and energy optimization solutions.
The company intends to bolster its global competitiveness through partnerships, including investments in prominent AI companies, with an aim to enhance its value in the global market. Additionally, SKT is strengthening its AI collaborations via the “Global Telco AI Alliance” and the “K-AI Alliance,” the latter now comprising 30 members and leading innovations across 13 countries.
CEO Yoo stated, “SKT’s AI journey is transitioning from exploration and expansion to securing tangible outcomes. Through the AI Pyramid 2.0 strategy, we will actively pursue AI business monetization and contribute to creating a Korean-style AI ecosystem.”