Singtel, SK Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and e& have announced the formation of the Global Telco AI Alliance at a signing ceremony held today in Seoul.
The four members signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the AI business at a ceremony that was attended either in person or virtually by executives from each organisation.
In a bid to unlock the potential AI has to create new business models and transform existing ones, the four members will collaborate and pool resources and investment in AI development.
The group stated that its primary mission is to create a new customer experience and make a difference in the lives of global citizens using AI technology.
"We recognise AI's immense potential in reshaping the telecommunications landscape and beyond and are excited to embark on this transformative journey with the formation of the Global Telco AI Alliance,” said Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of e& life.
To facilitate the cooperation, the MNOs plan to form the Global Telco AI Alliance Joint Working Group.
The group will discuss issues such as co-investment opportunities and will also co-develop the Telco AI Platform, which will serve as the foundation for new AI services.
Exactly what the Telco AI Platform will look like is currently unclear, but the group outlined that use cases would include those designed to improve existing telco services, digital assistants and super apps that offer a wide range of services.
The members also plan to designate a C-level officer from each company to coordinate the overall collaboration efforts.
Claudia Nemat, board member technology and innovation at Deutsche Telekom said she was “particularly pleased that this alliance also stands for bridging the gap between Europe and Asia and that we are jointly pursuing an open-vendor approach” . This means that depending on the application, the group can use the best technology available to them.
SK Telecom seem especially high on the potential that AI has. CEO, Ryu Young-sang said that “through collaborative efforts, we will accelerate AI transformation of all industries, provide new value and experience to our customers, and lead the growth of the global AI ecosystem".
In addition, SK Telecom claims it is placing AI at the core of its business, and “rapidly transforming into an AI company”.
It is also claims that it is focusing “on driving innovations in areas of telecommunications, media, AI, metaverse, cloud and connected intelligence to deliver greater value for both individuals and enterprises”.
