SK Telecom (CEO Yoo Young-sang) is challenging the world's highest-level independent AI model through a consortium of industry-academia experts.

SKT announced on the 4th that it has been selected as an elite team for the 'Independent AI Foundation Model' project hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and has launched a large-scale industry-academia cooperation consortium to advance domestic AI technology.

This consortium aims to develop global-level, ultra-large models and expand the open-source ecosystem based on full-stack AI technology encompassing proprietary semiconductors, models, data, and services.

The consortium includes promising industry players such as Krafton, Forty2Dot, Rebellion, Liner, and Selectstar. Drawing on their expertise in various fields, including gaming, mobility, semiconductors, search, and data stabilization, they will collaborate to implement practical and scalable AI models.

In particular, Forty2Dot will develop an on-device model based on its experience developing the in-vehicle AI 'Gleo' applied to Hyundai and Kia, while Krafton will play a key role in multimodal design and move forward with incorporating game technology. SelectStar focuses on providing high-quality learning data with a data platform of 240,000 users and reliability assessment solutions.

The research team also comprised a full complement of leading scholars from Korea and abroad. Professors from Seoul National University, KAIST, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison were responsible for developing the core technology, and more than 80% of the consortium's workforce consisted of experts with master's or doctoral degrees.

To date, more than 20 companies and institutions have submitted letters of intent to use the model, and companies from various fields, including SK Hynix, SK Innovation, Moloco, and Scatter Lab, have confirmed their participation.

In terms of technology, we plan to implement a high-performance, high-efficiency AI system through NPU optimization utilizing large-scale GPU resources and domestically produced inference semiconductor 'ATOM-Max'.

SKT is also introducing an AI model using the scratch method, based on its experience in developing a number of AX series models that surpass existing LLMs using its supercomputer 'TITAN'.

The SKT consortium plans to verify the effectiveness and reliability of Korean AI models in various fields, including industry, manufacturing, automobiles, games, and robotics, and to enhance the global competitiveness of domestic technology by developing AI agents that can be easily used by all citizens.