"From Mail and Disinfection Robots to Robot Cafes" KT Opens DigiCo 'Songpa Building' Era

by Cho Seulkina

Published 13 Sep.2021 08:54(KST)

"From Mail and Disinfection Robots to Robot Cafes" KT Opens DigiCo 'Songpa Building' Era

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] The ‘KT Songpa Building,’ completed with DIGICO technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, is officially launching as a major business hub for KT.

KT announced on the 13th that it will relocate its Enterprise and AI·DX Convergence Business Division to the recently completed ‘KT Songpa Building.’ Located in Songpa-gu, Seoul, the KT Songpa Building consists of an office tower with 5 basement floors and 28 above-ground floors, and a hotel tower with 5 basement floors and 32 above-ground floors. KT will use 13 floors from the 4th to the 16th floor of the office tower as its headquarters. The KT Songpa Building is geographically adjacent to Gangnam, where major companies are concentrated, and Pangyo, the stronghold of startups and ventures, making it an optimal forward base for expanding the B2B market and accelerating digital platform business.

This building is a future-oriented AI tower that integrates KT’s digital platform services and technologies such as AI, robotics, media, and blockchain across all areas of building management?including energy, indoor air quality, security, and safety?as well as work and welfare services such as employee ID cards, mail delivery, seat reservations, and healthcare.

KT has installed approximately 2,000 Internet of Things (IoT) devices throughout the entire Songpa Building, including both the office and hotel towers, and introduced a cloud-based AI building operator that optimally and automatically controls energy facilities. Additionally, disinfection robots autonomously navigate throughout the office space to sterilize the air, while the AI environmental platform and big data-based indoor air control system are linked with air showers, oxygen generators, and air purifiers to maintain a clean indoor environment.

Furthermore, KT replaced traditional physical employee ID cards with mobile access cards using blockchain-based DID (Decentralized ID) technology, enhancing both security and convenience. The mobile ID also provides payment functions at on-site cafeterias and convenience stores. To create a flexible work environment, a free seating system has been introduced, allowing employees to choose from general workspaces, focused workspaces, or collaborative seats depending on their job nature. An unmanned mail delivery system using autonomous robots is also in operation.

KT plans to actively utilize the Songpa Building as a venue for expanding B2B business and external collaborations. Various features throughout the building are designed with external visitors such as clients and partners in mind.

On the 8th floor, a showroom has been set up where visitors can experience KT’s digital platform business models. Depending on visitor needs, various solutions such as AI, cloud, big data, autonomous driving, and robotics can be showcased through video simulations. The caf? lounge on the same floor operates as a ‘robot caf?’ staffed by barista and serving robots. The company expects this space to become a place where major companies visiting the Songpa headquarters can directly see and experience KT’s business competitiveness as a DIGICO.

KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo said, “The launch of KT Songpa Building will be an important milestone in accelerating our digital platform business,” adding, “We will continue to enhance corporate value through differentiated B2B and AI/DX business achievements.”