SKT's 'Artificial Intelligence Care' Evolves into a 24-Hour Caregiver Assistant

[Asia Economy Reporter Seolgina Jo] SK Telecom is partnering with social enterprises specializing in professional nursing institutions to create a 5G era customized senior care service that minimizes care gaps for the elderly by utilizing the AI speaker ‘NUGU’.

On the 22nd, SK Telecom announced that it signed a 'Business Agreement for Realizing Social Value and Developing the Care Tech Industry' with Ariacare Korea and Happy Connect at its headquarters in Euljiro, Seoul.

Ariacare Korea is a home care institution that provides visiting nursing services to long-term care recipients who have difficulty living independently due to dementia, senile diseases, and other conditions. Happy Connect is a social enterprise established by the SK Group that operates support projects for socially vulnerable groups using SK Telecom and IT devices.

SK Telecom plans to collaborate with the two companies to integrate the field know-how and expertise of professional nursing institutions into 'AI care,' creating a 5G era customized senior care service utilizing AI and other ICT technologies.

Starting next month, the AI care service will be launched for 200 households among Ariacare Korea users, and an integrated management application that can monitor the elderly’s condition 24 hours a day will also be provided. It is expected to minimize care gaps outside of home nursing service hours and offer 24-hour close care for the elderly.

AI care is an ICT-linked welfare service that SK Telecom started in April last year in cooperation with local governments and Happy Connect, targeting elderly people living alone in several municipalities. Currently, it provides psychological and health care, emergency SOS, and other services to about 3,200 elderly households in 14 local governments nationwide.

Starting with this cooperation, SK Telecom plans to expand AI care, which began as a B2G service, into a full-fledged B2B service targeting domestic long-term care recipients.

Lee Junho, head of SK Telecom’s SV Promotion Group, said, "With this agreement, we have introduced AI care to more elderly households," adding, "Through cooperation with various partners, we will advance AI care and provide customized senior care services for the 5G era."

Yoon Hyungbo, CEO of Ariacare Korea, said, "We are pleased to provide differentiated nursing services," and added, "Through cooperation between the two companies, we will proactively respond to the rapid aging of our society and the diverse needs of customers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.