Launch of 'Anyone Inc.', an AI-related idea exchange community
Opening a communication channel between customer expert groups through the unique method of establishing a virtual company

SK Telecom has taken the first step in a project to evolve its voice recognition-based AI service 'Nugu' through customer participation.

For this project, SK Telecom established a virtual company called "Anyone Co., Ltd." where expert groups and customers can exchange opinions and conduct research, and held a launch event on the 21st at "Stradium" located on Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

SK Telecom launched its voice recognition-based artificial intelligence service 'NUGU' on the 1st and announced that it would develop AI-based technologies and services together with its customers.

'Anyone Inc.', the first step in this direction, will serve as a community where experts from various fields and customers can communicate both online and offline and freely express their opinions on the evolution of the service.

SK Telecom announced that it launched a new project called the "establishment of a virtual company" based on the belief that creating something new is possible for anyone and that shared ideas among many people can create innovation.

In 'Anyone Inc.', Lee Doo-hee, a renowned genius hacker from Seoul National University, takes on the role of a fictional CEO and leads an artificial intelligence evolution project. The expert group will include Professor Jae-Seung Jeong of KAIST's Department of Brain Science, the Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, the Korea Cognitive Science Industry Association, the Department of Industrial Design at Hongik University, the Korea Lighting Designers Association, the Korea Voice Actors Association, and the Korean Language Information Processing Laboratory.

For example, professional voice actors are conducting research on AI-based storytelling functions, the Brain and Cognitive Science Research Institute is developing lifestyle services linked to 'Nugu,' and lighting designers are researching lighting direction methods for 'Nugu' according to the situation.

General customers can participate in projects that bring various ideas for AI services to reality through monthly idea contests held via 'Anyone Inc.' Outstanding ideas generated from this process are scheduled to be applied to the AI service 'Nugu'.

SK Telecom plans to hold the first idea contest for 'Anyone Inc.' under the theme of 'Enhancing NUGU's Conversational Capabilities' until the 3rd of next month, accepting various ideas from customers. A total of 34 customers selected for outstanding ideas will receive prizes, including the latest laptops, Samsung Gear IconX, and Melon subscriptions.

Participation in 'Nuguna Inc.' and the idea contest is available on the Nugu website (www.nugu.co.kr). Lee Doo-hee, CEO of 'Nuguna Inc.', stated, "It is difficult to expect the evolution of artificial intelligence with the research personnel of a single company alone, but if collective intelligence is gathered, AI technology can achieve remarkable growth in a short period of time." He added, "We plan to review the feasibility of actual application for every single idea proposed through Nugu Inc. without exception."