SKT's AI Agent 'Ester' to Enter North America in March... Yoo Young-sang: "AI Will Even Reach Avatars"

SKT Unveils 'Ester' at CES 2025 in the US
PAA Targeting North American Market...Official US Launch in Second Half
Yoo Young-sang: "Ester as a Global Stage Test"

SK Telecom announced plans to launch the global personal AI agent (PAA) 'Ester' beta service in North America in March at CES 2025 held in Las Vegas, USA. SKT President Yoo Young-sang predicted that the AI agent would eventually reach the concept of an avatar.

On the 7th (local time), SK Telecom unveiled detailed service features of its global personal AI agent 'Ester' at CES 2025 held in Las Vegas, USA. The photo shows a demonstration scene of Ester's service. Photo by SKT

On the 7th (local time), SK Telecom revealed detailed service information about Ester, the global PAA targeting the North American market, for the first time in the US. Previously, SKT had unveiled Ester's development at the 'SK AI Summit' held in Korea last November.

Ester implements four core functions based on the key value of 'daily life management': planning, execution, recall, and advice.

First, it understands the user's intent through conversation and creates an actionable plan.

For example, if a business traveler in Las Vegas asks, "I have no plans on the last day; what should I do?" Ester identifies the demand and creates a plan by suggesting shopping, visiting popular restaurants, and attending performances. If the user wants to watch a show, Ester recommends suitable performances and introduces nearby restaurants and transportation options around the venue.

It also helps users check reviews, make reservations, and complete payments for each schedule all at once. To this end, SKT plans to strengthen cooperation with third-party agents.

Through notifications and suggestions, Ester also supports users' daily lives. For instance, Ester might say to a business traveler in Las Vegas, "Next week is your daughter's birthday. How about buying a souvenir during your trip?"

Yonhap News

SKT plans to launch the Ester beta service for North American users starting in March. Recruitment for beta service participants will begin during the CES period. The official service will be launched in the US in the second half of the year, with plans to expand to other countries next year.

After touring the SK affiliates' joint exhibition hall that day, SKT President Yoo Young-sang said about Ester, "I think AI assistants will evolve into agents, and then to the concept of avatars. This is a test to see how agent services can be offered on the global stage, and we will only know the results once we fully engage."

SKT also plans to expand the AI ecosystem centered around Ester by bringing together big tech companies, telecom operators, and third-party developers. For example, SKT is pursuing partnerships such as integrating the generative AI-based conversational search service 'Perplexity' into Ester. Jung Seok-geun, head of SKT's GPAA division, said, "We will strive to expand Ester's unique ecosystem ahead of its official launch this year."

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