SKT, which is taking a leap forward as a global AI company, is taking on the challenge of the AI data center business in earnest.

SKT announced on the 21st that as its first global step toward full-scale promotion of its AI DC (Data Center) business, it has invested in Lambda, a global GPU cloud company, to secure a stable supply of graphics processing units (GPUs).

The two companies plan to sign a strategic partnership agreement for global business cooperation within the first half of the year and advance into the AI cloud market at home and abroad.

Lambda, founded by AI engineers, provides cloud services using the latest GPUs from Nvidia. Currently, NVIDIA monopolizes the global GPU market for data center servers.

SKT introduced the AI DC as “a new business area that provides GPU servers essential for AI learning and inference, power supply for stable operation, and cooling systems for thermal efficiency management, unlike existing data centers that provide physical space for stable storage of data.”

SKT CEO Yoo Young-sang met with Lambda founder and CEO Stephen Balaban in person during his visit to Seoul in December last year, and also visited Lambda's San Jose, U.S. headquarters in January to negotiate.

SKT said, “With this investment, we will be able to secure GPUs stably and promote AI DC business based on the largest AI cloud capacity in Korea.”

SKT predicted that demand in the AI cloud market will continue to increase along with the increasing integration of generative AI into the services possessed by many domestic companies in the industry.

In addition, SKT will integrate the capabilities of SK ICT family companies, including its subsidiary SK Broadband's data center operation know-how, SK Hynix's high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and Sapion's AI semiconductors for data centers, into the AI DC business.

Based on the cooperation between the two companies, SKT plans to advance its AI DC business into Southeast Asia, and announced at MWC24 that it plans to achieve business cooperation results with operators with data center operation capabilities in the Southeast Asian region.

SKT CEO Yoo Young-sang said, “Based on SKT’s AI capabilities and stable GPU, we plan to fully enter the AI DC and AI cloud markets,” adding, “SKT will “We will continue to develop AI-related capabilities and leap forward as a company leading the Korean and global AI industries,” he said.