Artificial intelligence (AI) is a computer system that acts as the human brain, and is a general term for computer science that aims to artificially implement human learning, reasoning, and perception abilities.

Since the emergence of AlphaGo in 2016, AI has been applied to various applications and businesses are expanding. AI, which is applied to various fields such as image recognition and voice recognition through machine learning and deep learning, is positioned as the greatest growth engine of the future.

Deep learning, the basic operation method of AI, is a technology that implements machine learning and is a learning method developed based on the way the human brain works.

Starting with big tech companies such as Google, IBM, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, Alibaba, and Samsung, the field of AI application has rapidly expanded to include healthcare, new drug development, and finance.

Recently, we can often find AI-based devices in all aspects of our lives, including home appliances, smart devices, the Internet, medical care, and autonomous driving.

■ Smart home combining AI and IoT

AI has developed the smart home market by combining with the Internet of Things (IoT).

The Internet of Things refers to a technology or environment in which objects are connected, exchange real-time data via the Internet, and provide new services that individual objects could not provide.

A smart home is a general term for a system in which IoT devices, water, electricity, heating and cooling, and security devices are interconnected through a network to provide various services and can be monitored and controlled remotely.

Smart home appliances have built-in Internet access, are equipped with various convenient functions, can upgrade themselves when new functions are added, and users can control the operation status of home appliances remotely from outside.

For example, in addition to refrigerators with simple refrigeration functions, there are refrigerators with food management functions. The AI Circulator released by SK Magic uses AI technology to detect the indoor temperature and adjust the wind speed and strength. Coway's 'Icon Water Purifier 2' uses AI smart diagnosis to determine the status of the water purifier and allows product management and remote operation through an app.

Samsung Electronics' 'Bespoke Grande Washing Machine AI' is equipped with an 'auto open door' function that automatically opens the door when the washing cycle ends. At this time, Samsung's SmartThings provides convenient use such as connecting various IoT devices and automating home appliance usage patterns.

Users can remotely control IoT devices such as AI speakers and smartphones, and the large amount of data generated from connected devices can be analyzed in real time by automating models through AI.

In this way, smart homes are evolving in a direction where AI learns about users and situations, derives results, and provides them on its own. The development of the smart home market, where cutting-edge technologies such as AI and IoT are applied, is expected to accelerate further.
■ AI voice service ‘AI secretary’

A variety of AI voice services have been released that act as secretaries or read books like friends.

As mentioned in the previous example, AI speakers can recognize the user's voice, allowing the user to automatically operate or remotely control connected IoT devices. Voice recognition technology is supported by deep learning algorithms and is expected to become smarter as AI natural language processing technology evolves.

The AI assistant market started first in the global market with the original AI assistants Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.

In the domestic market, SKT introduced the voice recognition-based AI speaker ‘NUGU’ in 2016. KT also released ‘Giga Genie’ in 2017, and Samsung Electronics’ ‘Bixby’ followed suit.

SKT went further and launched a growth-oriented AI service called 'A. (Adot)'. 'A.' applied AI technology that naturally combines everyday conversations based on a large language model (GPT-3) and processing specific tasks requested by customers.

LG Electronics announced that it is jointly developing a voice recognition solution for vehicle infotainment with SoundHound of the United States. This will allow voice control of in-vehicle functions and connection to multimedia services and IoT devices via the cloud, enabling control of IoT-connected home appliances such as refrigerators and TVs with voice commands in the vehicle.

■ Active AI services in the financial industry

There have been various attempts to apply AI to the financial sector. It is possible to analyze and manage data and respond to customers through AI, including market analysis, credit rating, and customized asset management services.

In particular, in AI-based stock systems that analyze customers' financial status and make recommendations, AI learns specialized information such as large-scale financial transaction information and economic indicators on its own and provides investment advice based on this.

Meanwhile, in the financial market, 'chatbot' services have become a market with high growth expectations in the customer response area.

Chatbots are computer programs that can have real-time conversations with people using text and voice using AI technology. They support specific tasks and have recently expanded their use to areas such as finance, communications, and entertainment.

The Korea Financial Services Commission said that it is currently implementing a '24-hour financial consulting service for the general public' by applying AI, and that AI consultant 'Poyong-i' is providing guidance on the service.

■ Major AI Markets Medical and Healthcare

AI is also being used in various ways in the medical and pharmaceutical fields. For example, ‘medical image interpretation’ technology analyzes X-rays, CT scans, etc. to help experts accurately diagnose patients’ diseases.

Last February, SKT began developing an AI veterinary imaging diagnosis assistance solution with five national veterinary colleges. AI analyzes X-rays taken of pets at the hospital and provides the analysis information to veterinarians, helping them diagnose faster and more accurately.

In the healthcare sector since COVID-19, AI services that enable diagnosis, surgery, and prescriptions without having to meet patients in person have made great strides. AI monitors X-rays, CTs, MRIs, etc., diagnoses patients, and AI robots perform surgeries that are difficult for people to perform.

SKT's AI-based voice guidance platform 'NUGU bizcall' helps monitor patients with chronic diseases.

KT announced that it has expanded care services for the vulnerable by adding a digital platform based on ABC (AI, Bigdata, Cloud) to KT AI Care Service to resolve blind spots in the care market such as lack of manpower.

Naver also applied HyperClova to 'Clova Note' and other services to improve voice recognition accuracy and introduced the 'Clova Care Call' service for the elderly living alone. This service, which uses HyperClova technology, has AI call people to check on their well-being on topics such as meals, sleep, and health.

■ AI technology expands the media ecosystem

In the media industry, ICT infrastructure such as AI technology is becoming a core competency in the global media market for the spread of diverse content.

SKT Supernova improves the image quality of old videos and audio sources to high definition through De-oldify technology based on AI deep learning algorithm. He added that AI technology will be applied to the LED wall of 'TEAM Studio', a virtual content production studio established in Pangyo, along with broadcasting, public institutions, and sports.

In addition, the team studio will be opened to affiliates within the group, such as SK Broadband and SK Stoa, as well as external production companies, in order to further elevate the level of domestic media content production. SKT’s team studio will lead the global media content production paradigm beyond Asia through ICT-based hyper-connectivity.

KT has launched the 'AI Voice Studio' service, which can produce AI voice synthesis content that contains human emotions. It consists of 'AI Voice', which can synthesize 100 AI voices into 5 different emotions, and 'Studio', which can produce audio synthesis content such as videos using these AI voices.

Kakao Brain announced that it has developed a poetry-writing AI called 'SIA' in collaboration with media art group SlitScope. SIA was created based on the 'KoGPT', a super-large AI language model that is a Korean-specific version of the US super-large AI 'GPT-3' that Kakao Brain released last year.

Kakao Brain also recently conducted a collaboration project with Samsung Electronics using AI artist ‘Kallo’, who developed a super-large image generation AI model.


In addition, AI technology is being actively applied in smart factories, self-driving cars, marketing, and gaming. Meanwhile, most commercialized AI is still limited to the service sector, and experts are also concerned that there are still issues to be resolved in the AI business. Without a high level of trust, AI's spread across industries will remain limited.