SKT to Showcase 'Eco-friendly' AI Semiconductor and Single LAN Technology at CES (Comprehensive)

'Net-Zero' Theme at CES 2022
SK Group Joint Exhibition Hall Established on 920㎡ Scale

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] SK Telecom announced on the 2nd that it will showcase green ICT technologies for the net-zero era at 'CES 2022,' the world's largest IT and electronics exhibition held in Las Vegas, USA, from the 5th (local time) to the 8th, spanning four days.

ESG Initiatives… Introducing AI Semiconductor and Single-RAN Technology

ESG management, represented by environmental friendliness, social responsibility, and governance transparency, is emerging as a matter of survival rather than a choice. SK Group aims to reduce 200 million tons of carbon, equivalent to 1% of the global carbon reduction target of 21 billion tons by 2030.

SK Telecom, together with SK Inc., SK Innovation, SK Hynix, SKE&S, and SK Ecoplant, will set up a joint exhibition booth of 920㎡ in the Central Hall under the theme of '2030 SK Net-Zero Promise Declaration' to introduce SK Telecom's green ICT technologies.

SK Telecom will showcase 'Sapeon,' the first AI semiconductor independently developed in Korea. AI semiconductors are non-memory semiconductors that execute large-scale computations required for AI services at ultra-high speed and low power, serving as the core brain of artificial intelligence. Sapeon is environmentally friendly, consuming only 80% of the power compared to existing GPUs. Its deep learning computation speed is 1.5 times faster than existing GPUs, and its price is about half.

SK Telecom will also introduce 'Single-RAN' technology, which integrates and upgrades 3G and LTE network equipment, reducing power consumption by about 53% compared to existing systems. Through Single-RAN technology, the company secured carbon emission rights by reducing greenhouse gases for the first time in the domestic telecommunications sector. SK Telecom completed the application of this technology to base stations and repeaters located in 78 cities nationwide, including Seoul, in 2020, securing about 10,000 tons of carbon emission rights annually.

Introducing ICT Technologies That Reduce Carbon Emissions

SK Telecom also introduces ICT services that can reduce carbon emissions in daily life, such as the metaverse, reusable cup circulation systems, and optimal route navigation, providing experiences that lead toward a low-carbon society.

First, the metaverse service 'Ifland' is introduced. Ifland is a metaverse service that anyone can easily and conveniently use. It helps replace offline activities that generate carbon emissions, such as meetings, presentations, and business trips, with virtual world alternatives. In virtual spaces such as conference halls, outdoor stages, and rooftops that can accommodate up to 130 simultaneous users, documents (PDF) and videos (MP4) can be shared. Events ranging from conferences like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seoul UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting D-100 commemorative event to performances by K-pop stars have been held.

The 'Happy Habit' program, which promotes the culture of using reusable cups, is also introduced. 'Happy Habit' operates by having coffee shops serve beverages in reusable cups, and consumers return the designated reusable cups equipped with vision AI technology to ICT-based unmanned return machines. Returned cups go through disinfection, washing, and sterilization processes by specialized companies for recycling. A pilot project is underway at about 20 coffee shops in Seoul's Jung-gu and Jongno-gu districts with high foot traffic, expecting to reduce the use of over 1.2 million disposable cups in three months. It is anticipated to reduce the use of approximately 630,000 disposable plastic cups annually.

As one of the carbon reduction measures, SK Telecom also exhibits the driving habits feature of the comprehensive mobility platform 'T map.' The driving habits service analyzes driving data such as speeding, rapid acceleration, and sudden deceleration, converting drivers' safe driving levels into scores. These scores are linked to economic benefits such as insurance premium discounts, encouraging safe and eco-friendly driving. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through T map was 1.02 million tons in 2020, with plans to expand to 1.56 million tons in 2025 and 2.62 million tons by 2030.

SK Telecom stated, "At this CES, we plan to showcase advanced technologies that can lead the green ICT revolution along with innovative services that reduce carbon emissions occurring in daily life," adding, "SK Telecom will grow as Korea's representative green ICT company in the net-zero era."

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