SK Telecom’s Trillion-Dollar AI Transformation and the Path to 6G Hyper-Personalization
SK Telecom is embarking on a large-scale transformation into an artificial intelligence (AI)-centered telecommunications company, backed by a multi-trillion-won investment. This strategic shift, unveiled at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 in Barcelona, Spain, aims to revitalize the company and position it at the forefront of the emerging 6G era, focusing on hyper-personalization through agentic AI.
The Need for AI-Native Infrastructure
CEO Jeong Jae-heon emphasized the critical need for adaptation, stating that companies failing to embrace AI risk obsolescence. This declaration comes after a significant hacking incident in April 2025 impacted SK Telecom, highlighting vulnerabilities and the need for a more robust and intelligent infrastructure. The existing systems are deemed “not AI-friendly” and require a complete overhaul to support the demands of AI-driven services.
Investing in Hyper-Personalization
The core of SK Telecom’s strategy is to leverage AI to deliver hyper-personalized services to its customers. This involves optimizing the entire computer system – including sales, line management, and billing – to immediately reflect individual customer needs in rate plans, and memberships. Hyper-personalization aims to tailor service quality in real-time based on user behavior, offering a seamless experience across various applications and environments.
Autonomous Operating Networks and AI-RAN
SK Telecom plans to implement an “autonomous operating network” powered by AI, transitioning from human-centered operations to an AI-based autonomous structure for wireless quality management, traffic control, and facility operation. A key component of this is the deployment of ‘AI-RAN’ (AI-Radio Access Network) technology, designed to autonomously learn and adapt to complex wireless environments between base stations and smartphones, promising high-speed, uninterrupted, and ultra-low-latency communication.
Collaboration for 6G Advancement
At MWC 2026, SK Telecom announced collaborations with global technology leaders, including NVIDIA, to advance 6G-based AI networks. The company intends to build ultra-large AI data centers (DCs) exceeding 1 gigawatt (GW) capacity throughout Korea, aiming to attract global investment and establish Asia’s largest AI DC hub.
Focus on Sovereign AI
SK Telecom is also prioritizing the development of “sovereign AI” to enhance competitiveness in the AI model field, targeting demand in specific industry sectors. This focus aims to create AI solutions tailored to the unique needs of various industries, further solidifying SK Telecom’s position as an AI leader.
The Promise of Agentic AI in 6G
The shift towards AI-native networks is closely tied to the anticipated capabilities of 6G. 6G networks are expected to integrate AI agents directly into user devices and the network core, unlocking the potential for true hyper-personalization. This will allow networks to understand and respond to individual user situations and intents in real-time, adapting to changing conditions and proactively addressing potential issues.