SK celebrates 40th anniversary, envisions AI-driven future

[Courtesy of SK telecom Co.]

South Korea’s SK telecom Co., SK Group’s telecommunications company, unveiled its vision for navigating the future with artificial intelligence (AI) as it celebrates its 40th anniversary.

According to industry sources on Thursday, SK telecom turns 40on Friday. Established as Korea Mobile Telecom Services in 1984, SK telecom has significantly influenced the Korean telecommunications industry thanks to its pioneering efforts, including the launch of the first car phone service in Korea. Notable milestones include the commercialization of 2G mobile communication technology Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and LTE (4G) in 2013, as well as the world‘s first commercialization of 5G in 2019.

SK telecom has been emphasizing its transformation from a telecommunications company to an AI-centered entity since 2023, with the aim of receiving global recognition as an AI leader. Key efforts toward this goal include the development of various AI-powered services based on its proprietary large language model (LLM), A.X., and collaborations with leading global AI companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic PBC. With this in mind, SK telecom plans to establish a joint venture called the Global Telco AI Alliance (GTAA) in 2024 aimed at introducing AI technologies and services tailored to telecommunications companies worldwide.

Commemorating the company’s achievements over the past 40 years, Chief Executive Officer Ryu Young-sang expressed his ambition to position the company as a global AI leader to “lead Korean industries with AI and create another success story.”

SK Group is also focusing on healthcare as a new growth engine in addition to AI, and against this backdrop, investors are now paying attention to a U.S.-based medical startup recently founded by Chey Min-jeong, the second daughter of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won.

Integral Health, led by Chey Min-jeong, aims to provide psychological health services to patients at affordable prices. According to the company, one in five adults in the U.S. experience mental health issues but often cannot access the necessary medical care due to financial reasons. “Integral Health will provide personalized psychological health services to each member based on AI,” the company said.

For her part, Chey Tae-won’s eldest daughter Chey Yun-jeong is a vice president at the group‘s medical arm, SK biopharmaceuticals Co.