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The move is SKT’s latest play towards becoming an AI global leader
South Korean telco SK Telecom has announced that its proposal to standardise technology for AI data centres has been approved as a new research project by the ITU-T (the International Telecommunication Union’s Telecommunication Standardization Sector), a United Nations specialised agency.
The proposal will enhance the interoperability and integration of the technological components within AI data centres and provide a standardised framework for the different aspects of the technology. The proposal establishes three categories: AI Infrastructure, Management, and Resource Allocation.
The ITU-T is responsible for coordinating standards for telecommunications and is comprised of 900 entities from 190 member counties.
At the ITU-T International Conference in Geneva, SK Telecom noted that demand for an international standard for AI data centre-related technologies is rising, due to an increase in AI-related traffic and data centres.
“The ITU-T’s endorsement of our new standardization project not only underscores the international community’s recognition of the importance of AI DC-related technologies but also affirms our extensive AI R&D capabilities in this field,” said Lee Jong-min, Vice President and Head of Future R&D at SK Telecom.
“We aim to finalize the AI DC standard specifications through the collective expertise of SK Group and global partners,” he continued.
SK Telecom has been aiming to become a global AI powerhouse for over a year, with this goal reflected in its subsequent investments. SKT’s Chief Financial Officer Kim Jin Won has confirmed that the company is “stepping up efforts on all fronts to transform itself into an AI company”.
In July last year, SK Telecom, e&, Deutsche Telecom, and Singtel formed a Global Telco AI Alliance to collaborate on the use of AI to create new customer experiences and business opportunities. The companies will co-develop a Telco AI Platform, which will serve as the core foundation for new AI services, including digital assistants and super apps. Last year, the company also invested $100 million in AI firm Anthropic, and became the third-largest shareholder in Persona AI, a South Korean AI technology firm focussing on AI contact centre (AICC) solutions.
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