SK Telecom Leads Consortium to Develop Korea’s Proprietary AI Foundation Model with Omni-Modal Technology
Seoul, South Korea – SK Telecom (SKT) has announced that its consortium has been selected as a core team for the Korean government’s ambitious ‘Proprietary AI Foundation Model’ project, spearheaded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT). This initiative marks a significant milestone in Korea’s pursuit to cultivate a homegrown artificial intelligence ecosystem by building an advanced, full-stack AI platform based entirely on proprietary technologies.
A Collaborative Effort Across Industry and Academia
The SKT Consortium is a powerful collaboration of industry leaders, technological innovators, and premier research institutions focused on propelling AI innovation domestically. The consortium’s lineup includes notable companies such as Krafton, Korea’s largest publicly-listed gaming enterprise; 42dot, pioneers in mobility AI and autonomous technologies; Rebellions, a manufacturer specializing in AI inference chips known as neural processing units (NPUs); Liner, experts in AI-driven knowledge and search technologies; and Selectstar, specialists in ensuring data reliability for AI model training.
From the academic side, top researchers from Seoul National University (SNU) including Professors Kim Gunhee, Yoon Sungroh, Hwang Seungwon, and Do Jaeyoung, along with Professor Lee Kimin of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), contribute their expertise. Further strengthening the team are Professors Lee Kangwook and Dimitris Papailiopoulos from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adding an international dimension to the project’s research capabilities.
Developing an Omni-Modal AI Platform
At the core of SK Telecom’s AI development strategy is the integration of omni-modal technology — a breakthrough approach that enables the AI model to process and interpret multiple data modalities seamlessly, including text, images, speech, and video. This comprehensive capability is designed to overcome limitations of single-modal AI systems and expand AI’s applicability across numerous sectors.
Since 2018, SK Telecom has been advancing its proprietary large language model (LLM) known as A.X. Recently, it unveiled two versions of the A.X 4.0 model (standard and light), developed with large-scale continual pre-training (CPT), as well as two versions of the A.X 3.1 model built entirely from scratch. These models rival global benchmarks such as OpenAI’s GPT-4o and show exceptional proficiency in understanding Korean language and context.
Infrastructure and Innovation Powered Domestically
Training of the A.X models has historically utilized SK Telecom’s TITAN supercomputer. Looking ahead, the SKT Consortium will independently provide expansive computing resources, enabling cutting-edge research and accelerated development cycles. Rebellions will play a critical role by utilizing its domestically developed NPUs to optimize AI tasks, ensuring high-performance and energy-efficient operations.
With an impressive track record characterized by over 800 research publications, 736 registered patents, and 270 open-source projects, the consortium is well-equipped to deliver a world-class Korean AI foundation model.
Strategic Vision and Industry Impact
Kim Taeyoon, Head of the Foundation Model Office at SK Telecom, will steer the core AI research efforts. Meanwhile, Kim Jiwon, Head of the AI Model Lab at SK Telecom, emphasized the consortium’s commitment: “With our proven technological capabilities and operational expertise, we will deliver the highest-quality Korean-style proprietary AI foundation model to empower AI for daily life in Korea.”
The ultimate goal is to democratize AI agents, making them accessible and useful for all Korean citizens. The project aims to foster AI-driven transformation across diverse industries including office work, manufacturing, automotive, gaming, and robotics — positioning Korea as a global leader in artificial intelligence innovation.
About SK Telecom Consortium:
The consortium unites some of Korea’s most influential technology companies and research institutions, combining expertise in AI, semiconductor manufacturing, data reliability, gaming, autonomous systems, and academic research to innovate Korea’s AI future.
For more information:
Ray Sharma
Industry Analyst and Editor, The Fast Mode
Email: ray.sharma@thefastmode.com
Image Credit: peshkov/Bigstockphoto.com
