KT expects to expand AI-related services in the fields of logistics, robotics and healthcare
South Korean telecom company KT announces plans to invest 7 trillion won ($5.4 billion) in developing large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) systems and expanding AI-based services by 2025, South Korean newspaper Korea JoongAng Ilbo report.
The company said it hopes to achieve this by expanding its AI-related services in the areas of logistics, robotics and healthcare.
KT also said it expects to generate at least KRW 1 trillion in annual revenue through its AI business by 2025. The company said it has already received cumulative orders of over KRW 800 billion in its AI division, including orders from its AI Contact Center (AICC) and logistics. AICC is a customer service center that incorporates AI algorithms and machine learning techniques to automate many aspects of customer interaction and support.
“KRW 4 trillion will be spent on acquiring large-scale AI technology, KRW 2 trillion on upgrading AI infrastructure and related cloud services, and KRW 1 trillion on discovering new models for AI-related services in the field of robots, education, and healthcare.” said Jae Ho Song, vice president of KT’s AI/DX convergence business unit.
The report also highlighted that KT’s initial AI focus areas are AICC, logistics, robotics, healthcare and education.
“In terms of revenue, AICC already accounts for a significant portion of the company’s total revenue, with KRW 350 billion expected to come from the center by 2025. KRW 500 billion in logistics, KRW 200 billion in robotics, KRW 200 billion in education and KRW 50 billion in healthcare, totaling about KRW 1.3 trillion in annual revenue, will come from the AI business,” said the executive.
KT also aims to diversify its AI robot lineup by expanding the models of delivery robots that can operate outdoors. The company said its logistics robots will carry out deliveries in factories and distribution centers, while other robots will be used for heavy goods deliveries in the agricultural industry, the report said.
Earlier this year, KT announced the commercial launch of a new solution called “5G Infrastructure Intelligent Control Solution” based on artificial intelligence technology.
The Asian operator said the solution was designed to control the 5G infrastructure with the aim of making it more efficient and stable.
KT’s new solution is equipped with AI technology that detects abnormalities in the status of networks and devices in real time. According to KT, the new solution compares dozens of equipment quality data with pre-trained data in real time, allowing a single metric to determine whether equipment is abnormal.
The solution also displays access and core device status on a five-level scale, making it easier to “intuitively check the extent of the device or anomaly” that occurred, the company added.
The company emphasized that even enterprises and institutions without network management expertise can operate 5G networks without “burden” by using KT’s 5G solutions.
