At CES 2025, SK Telecom is unveiling its global personal AI agent “Aster” and plans to launch more specific services, as announced on the 8th. This is the first introduction of Aster, aimed at the North American market, held locally in the United States. SKT had previously announced the development of Aster at the “SK AI Summit” in Korea in November last year.
Aster is an AI agent designed to efficiently manage the busy lives of modern individuals, focusing on the core value of “Life Management.” The AI agent completes tasks from planning to execution and helps users focus on more valuable activities through personalized suggestions and reminders.
To achieve this, Aster is expected to implement four main functions: planning, execution, reminders, and advice. It will clearly identify ambiguous or complex user needs through natural conversation and gradually establish executable plans. For example, if a traveler in Las Vegas asks what to do on their last day without plans, Aster provides suggestions like shopping, dining, and attending performances, then sets up plans accordingly. If the user wants to attend a performance, Aster will recommend suitable shows and provide detailed information on nearby restaurants and transportation options.
Aster assists with checking reviews, making reservations, and payments, fostering collaboration with various third-party agents, as per SKT’s plans. It aims to enrich users’ lives with pro-active and appropriate suggestions, ensuring they do not miss scheduled events through various notifications.
An SKT representative mentioned, “Aster’s service model, which involves finding ‘solutions’ through communication between users and AI agents, is its most distinguishing feature compared to other AI services.”
Expanding the AI ecosystem through Aster is also noteworthy. It provides a hub for big tech companies needing large-scale AI service demand, telecommunications firms seeking affordable AI service supply, and third-party developers looking for new business opportunities.
SKT is working on partnerships such as integrating AI-based interactive search service “Perplexity” into Aster. They plan to launch a beta service for North American users in March, with sign-ups available from this CES period through SK Group’s exhibition booths and web pages. The official launch in the U.S. is planned for later this year, with further international expansion next year.
Jeong Seok-geun, head of SKT’s GPAA business division, remarked, “While other existing AI services offer simple answers to user needs, Aster provides a distinctive experience as an agentic AI that performs necessary actions in daily life. We will strive to expand Aster’s ecosystem in preparation for its official launch this year.”