KT seeks to earn 1 trillion won in sales from AI business in 2025

KT AI/DX Convergence Division Vice President Song Jae-ho speaks during a press conference at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Hotel, Wednesday. Courtesy of KT

By Lee Kyung-min

KT, a local telecommunications service provider, plans to increase sales of its artificial intelligence (AI) convergence business to 1 trillion won (773 million) by 2025, as underpinned by diversified AI-mediated robotics, health care and education services, according to the firm, Wednesday.

About 7 trillion won will be invested by 2027 to fortify AI competitiveness and outline global expansion plans.

The firm held a press conference at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Hotel, where it announced plans to expand the supply of service robots to be used in delivery. The areas of use for robots will be expanded to quarantine, indoor and outdoor delivery, small logistics in factories and agricultural delivery robots.

KT also said it will launch a remote health care service for chronic illness patients. Nurses and nutritionists will provide plans optimized by analyzed data including doctors' counsel records.

It will also launch “Genie TV Care,” whereby TV programs and care plans will tend to the needs of the elderly living alone.

KT said it will establish an education platform in cooperation with the education authority of Gyeonggi Province.

Through this plan, it will roll out more content produced jointly with EBS, a local education broadcasting service.

It also announced the introduction of an AI transport platform in Singapore. KT will establish a health care entity in Vietnam to provide services for cancer patients.

KT plans to speed up its expansion in the Vietnamese market, as integrated by Korea's health care businesses and Vietnam's growing demand.

According to Allied Market Research, a global market analytics firm, the global health care market will grow to 19.7 trillion won by 2031, about triple that of 6.5 trillion won as of 2021.

KT AI/DX Convergence Division Vice President Song Jae-ho said KT is an AI leader in Korea.

“We will solidify our standing as a customer-centered AI service provider, as buttressed by capabilities, infrastructure and know-how built up over the past few years,” he said during the press conference.