SK Telecom, selected as the operator of the government-led “Everyone’s AI” project aimed at providing AI (artificial intelligence) services to all citizens without cost or usage restrictions, has announced plans to launch its AI services before the end of this year, starting with a beta service in October.
On the 28th, SK Telecom announced that the SKT consortium it leads was selected as the implementing operator for the “Supporting Universal Utilization of AI Services for All Citizens” (Everyone’s AI) project, jointly promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Information Society Development Institute.
The SKT consortium plans to showcase its AI services in beta form this October, centered on its proprietary AI foundation model "A.X K2" and leveraging various domestic AI models, with a full launch scheduled before year-end. The goal is to enable all citizens to use AI easily and without burden in their daily lives by providing context-appropriate guidance on living and public information and connecting users to follow-up actions they need.
In the public sector, the focus will be on proactively informing citizens of necessary benefits and information without requiring them to search for it themselves. SKT plans to implement a function that allows users to obtain 83 types of certificates, including official residence registration extracts, by linking with Government24 and PASS. It is also preparing a medical linkage feature that proposes personalized treatment information based on users’ health records. In the living sector, AI will handle cumbersome tasks such as making phone calls and scheduling appointments on behalf of users.
The SKT consortium’s AI service aims to go beyond chatbots that simply answer questions; it seeks to be an action-oriented AI assistant that proactively secures information citizens need and executes follow-up actions on their behalf.
For young people preparing for employment, when they search for recent job postings, the AI will guide them to new postings and relevant youth employment policies, assist with recruitment schedules, and support resume writing and interview preparation. For small business owners running shops, it will act as a “shop operation consultant,” displaying sales, cost, and tax status, and guiding them to government support programs by identifying eligibility and providing application schedules. The SKT consortium plans to make these services accessible not only through smartphone apps but also via phone calls and text messages, enabling users unfamiliar with smartphones to utilize AI services as well.
Kim Ji-hoon, head of SKT’s AI Business Division, stated, “It is crucial to create an environment where anyone can use AI easily and safely so that the digital divide in AI usage does not lead to new social disparities.” He added, “Drawing on our experience operating public AI services since 2022 and the consortium’s capabilities, we will responsibly deliver AI services that citizens can genuinely feel as helpful.”
in TECH
