SK Telecom has revealed an extensive upgrade to its artificial intelligence (AI) service named ‘A.’ (pronounced ‘A dot’), infusing it with exciting new features to deliver a nuanced experience based on individual user preferences.
This move includes striking improvements to various components of ‘A. dot’ encompassing an addition of AI agents which exhibit diverse personalities, thus, providing the user with more customized experiences.
Transitioning to the main screen, the revamped user interface allows different content to be displayed concomitantly as per the user’s specific likes and dislikes. Other intriguing additions include a chatroom which enables users to engage in conversations with an AI character, sharing aspects of their lives as they would with close friends.
Delving deeper into its new offerings, SKT has combined forces with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI service to incorporate ‘Chat T’ into ‘A.’. This feature allows users to receive thorough and informative responses, transcending simple answers when they pose questions.
Strengthening its AI capabilities, SK Telecom has also amped up its Large Language Model (LLM) — allowing users to carry on a multi-turn dialogue. The model is formulated to grasp the context of a conversation and pick up the intricate intentions, paving the way for more logical and helpful discussions.
In a collaborative effort with the AI start-up Scatter Lab, famed for the Lee Lu-da chatbot, SKT has introduced its latest AI agents named ‘A. friends’ to bring vibrant personas to its upgraded ‘A.’. This feature uses conversational AI technology to enable emotional and human-like dialogues. Users can engage in edifying discussions with ‘A. friends’, gaining advice and counseling on a broad range of subjects. Currently, this service is available for Android, with an iOS version set to launch by the end of July.
Easing the age limit for subscribing to ‘A.’ has been another aim, to include users under 14 years and broaden the AI’s user demographics.
Kim Yong-hun, Vice President and Head of AI Service Business Office, shared his optimism on the overhaul, stating, “With the massive overhaul of ‘A.’, we expect more customers to feel comfortable and enjoy using our conversational AI. We will continue to evolve ‘A.’ into a service that can help customers in their daily lives in all kinds of ways.”
This transformation of ‘A.’ by SK Telecom is a testament to the expanding role and influence of AI in the field of telecommunications. It presents an interesting topic for upcoming forums such as the Total Telecom Congress taking place in Amsterdam.
Other notable news in the telecoms world include the intricate process of being an altnet, potential reduced competition due to the merger of Orange and MásMóvil as per the European Commission, and the recent announcement by the White House about state BEAD allocations.
