MWC 2026: SK Telecom lays out plan to rebuild its core around AI

AI News

by Muhammad Zulhusni

March 2, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

At MWC 2026 in Barcelona, SK Telecom unveiled its ambitious "AI Native" strategy, which aims to rebuild the company's core infrastructure and operations around artificial intelligence (AI). This transformation extends beyond integrating new AI tools; it involves overhauling internal systems, expanding data center capacity, and upgrading its large language model. The goal is to position South Korea among the world’s top three AI powers by leveraging AI to enhance customer experiences, improve network efficiency, and drive innovation across all business areas. A key component of this strategy is redesigning SK Telecom's integrated IT systems to optimize for AI-driven decision-making. This includes personalizing services based on customer behavior patterns, implementing a Zero Trust security framework for stronger data protection, and automating network operations to improve speed and reduce latency. These changes signal a broader shift in the telecom industry, moving from traditional legacy systems to AI-powered solutions that could redefine how pricing, service design, and fault detection are approached. In addition to infrastructure upgrades, SK Telecom is focusing on enhancing customer interactions through AI-driven tools. The company plans to develop an integrated AI agent to provide tailored recommendations across its customer portal, online store, and AI Contact Center. This initiative aims to streamline services like pricing, roaming, and memberships while improving support through AI-assisted customer service representatives. Offline retail stores will also leverage AI to better understand customer needs and offer personalized recommendations. Underpinning these efforts is a massive expansion of SK Telecom’s data center capacity, with plans to build hyperscale AI data centers across Korea targeting over 1 gigawatt of power. This investment not only supports the company's AI initiatives but also positions South Korea as a major hub for global AI innovation and data processing. The broader significance lies in how telecom operators are embracing AI as an integral part of their operations, moving from reactive to predictive service models. By embedding AI into billing, customer service, and retail, SK Telecom is setting a precedent for the industry to adopt AI as a fundamental layer of business strategy. This shift not only promises improved efficiency and customer satisfaction

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Originally published on AI News on 3/2/2026