"Smart AI Search" CES Spotlight on Heads of 3 Major Telecoms... Emphasizing Digital Transformation, AI, and 5G

[Asia Economy Reporter Joeslgina] "Keep an eye on artificial intelligence (AI) agents (assistants)." "Carefully examine ventures and startups as well."

The heads of the three major domestic mobile carriers, who are continuing their 'de-telecommunication' moves, are focusing on finding new business opportunities at CES 2021, the world's largest IT and home appliance exhibition held online. The main keywords of this year's CES?digital transformation (DX), AI, and 5G?are also the core strategies that the three mobile carriers have recently prioritized the most.

◆SKT's Park Jung-ho Emphasizes AI

According to industry sources on the 13th, Park Jung-ho, Vice Chairman leading SK Telecom, is paying the most attention to AI agents at CES 2021. Vice Chairman Park emphasized, "We are closely watching the birth of 'smart AI agents,'" adding, "This is not only a focus at CES but also a goal for this year." AI agents that assist customers in their convenient daily lives are considered an essential part for SK Telecom's leap into becoming an AI service platform company in the future.

Earlier, in the year-end organizational restructuring, he ordered the renaming of the existing AI Service Division to AI&CO and focused on developing AI agent services. This was based on Vice Chairman Park's judgment that AI will be the foundation of all future services. The reason why global leading companies such as Google, Amazon, and Samsung Electronics showcase their AI capabilities at CES 2021 is that the entire company’s attention inevitably converges there.

In particular, Vice Chairman Park has made CES attendance his first official schedule since his appointment in 2017, using the CES stage as a platform for management. Last year, he proposed an AI alliance that transcends industry barriers with Samsung Electronics and Kakao, sparking attention with the theme of 'super cooperation.' This AI super cooperation has recently borne fruit in joint AI development efforts to overcome the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

◆KT Seeking Platform Expansion, LG Uplus Searching for New Businesses

Hwang Hyun-sik, President of LG Uplus, who is about to officially take office, also chose CES 2021 as the first step for new business promotion in the new year. He ordered about 600 employees, the largest number ever, to carefully attend various sessions and keynote speeches. Through this, he aims to quickly read changing trends and seize new business cooperation opportunities. An LG Uplus official explained, "We asked the executives in charge to thoroughly check even the venture and startup exhibition halls," adding, "This is a move to discover growth engines through new businesses." After CES closes, President Hwang will share insights confirmed by executives and discuss future business strategies.

KT is also paying attention to this event because the main keywords of this year's CES align with CEO Ku Gyeong-mo's management strategy. Earlier, CEO Ku, who declared KT's leap into a 'digital platform company (Digico),' announced plans to strengthen AI, big data, and cloud capabilities in his second year in office to play a key platform role leading DX not only for KT but also for other industries. CEO Ku and other executives will check ICT trends such as AI-based convergence services through online attendance and seek opportunities to expand platform businesses.

Especially with the advent of the 5G era, characterized by ultra-high speed and ultra-low latency, evaluations are increasing that the position of telecom companies at CES is becoming more and more important. The keynote speaker on the opening day, the 11th (local time), was Hans Vestberg, CEO of the U.S. telecom company Verizon. He defined 5G as an essential technology of the 21st century, stating, "DX is happening as 5G technology becomes available in more places," and emphasized, "5G is not just a technological innovation but a core platform that enables other innovations." CES 2021, held online for the first time in history, will conclude on the 14th.

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