"AI Checks on Elderly Living Alone" SKT Launches 'Nugu Care Call'

Service Launch with Gyeongnam Province on the 1st... AI Counselor Connects Calls to Care Recipients
Three Types of Counseling Services Based on 'Nugu Interactive Technology'... Total of 11 Million Calls and 86,000 Hours of Talk Time Achieved

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] SK Telecom announced on the 2nd that it launched the ‘NUGU Care Call’ service the day before, where artificial intelligence (AI) calls elderly people living alone to check on their well-being. SK Telecom plans to expand the service area nationwide, starting with Gyeongsangnam-do.

The NUGU Care Call service involves the AI ‘NUGU’ calling individuals who require care to check on their well-being and listen to any inconveniences. When the recipient answers the call, ‘NUGU’ verifies their identity and then asks questions such as “Did you eat well yesterday?” and “Are you feeling okay today?” After the call ends, the results of the call, the well-being status, and any other reported inconveniences are shared with local governments to assist them in taking follow-up actions if care is needed.

The NUGU Care Call service is implemented using ‘NUGU Interactive’ technology. NUGU Interactive is a technology that enables AI to perform tasks through natural conversations.

Previously, SK Telecom utilized NUGU Interactive technology to introduce three services: ‘NUGU Vaccine Care Call’ to assist with COVID-19 vaccinations, ‘NUGU Care Call’ to monitor the status of COVID-19 self-quarantined and actively monitored individuals via phone, and ‘NUGU Info Call’ to inform SK Telecom customers about unpaid bills. As of October this year, the three consultation services based on NUGU Interactive technology have made over 11 million outgoing calls cumulatively, with AI counselors conducting a total of 86,000 hours of consultation calls.

Hyun-A Lee, head of SK Telecom’s AI&CO division, said, “We expect SK Telecom’s AI technology to contribute to creating a safer society by checking on elderly people living alone,” and added, “We will continue to strive to contribute to creating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) value by utilizing advanced AI technology.”

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