August 3, 2023 - Singtel has formed a Global Telco AI Alliance with three major telcos, South Korea-based SK Telecom, Germany-headquartered Deutsche Telekom and e& from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The four telcos signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding to accelerate the transformation of the existing telco business with the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The telcos aim to jointly develop the Telco AI Platform by combining their respective technologies and capabilities. The Telco AI Platform is expected to serve as the foundation for new AI services, including those designed to improve telco services, digital assistants, and super apps that offer a wide range of services.
“This alliance will enable us and our ecosystem of partners to significantly expedite the development of new and innovative AI services that can bring tremendous benefits to both businesses and consumers,” said Yuen Kuan Moon, group CEO of Singtel.
“With our advanced 5G network, we are well-placed to leverage AI to ideate and co-create and are already using it to enhance our own customer service and employee experience, increase productivity and drive learning.”
The alliance has also agreed to cooperate to develop new growth drivers through AI-powered business models – this, in hopes of improving overall customer experience through AI technology.
To facilitate the cooperation, they will form the Global Telco AI Alliance Joint Working Group, which will aim to have discussions on issues such as co-investment opportunities and the co-development of the Telco AI Platform.
The members will soon discuss the designation of a C-level officer from each company to coordinate the overall collaboration.
The four telcos also plan to support each other in operating AI services and apps in their respective markets and cooperate to build an ecosystem.
The signing ceremony took place in Seoul, Korea, with telco leaders attending both virtually and in person.
“The launch of the Global Telco AI Alliance is meaningful in that it marks the beginning of a new journey to innovate our business models while growing together with our global partners,” said Ryu Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom.
“Through collaborative efforts, we will accelerate AI transformation of all industries, provide new value and experience to our customers and lead the growth of the global AI ecosystem.”
