SKT-Kakao open up for ‘AI·ESG·IP’ and mutual cooperation

Min-soo Yeo the co-representative of Kakao (Left) and Young-sang Yu the representative of MNO Business of SK telecom making a MOU contract at Kakao Pangyo office in Seongnam Gyeonggi-do agreeing on sharing AI∙ESG∙IP main asset with the society. [Photo provided = SK Telecom]

SK Telecom (President Jung-ho Park) and Kakao (Co-representatives Min-soo Yeo and Su-yong Jo) agreed on mutual cooperation in the fields of AI (Artificial Intelligence)∙ESG (Environmental Social and Governance)∙IP (Intellectual Property) and sharing main assets such as technology from relevant fields with the society.

First both companies decided to do joint development of AI technology representing Korea. AI technology development is going to be conducted in all fields such as infrastructure data and language models and progress investment and development intensively starting from this year. For this they are going to share AI learning data in the forms of text voice and images and use them for the development actively. Both companies push ahead with the co-use of the AI technology they jointly develop in the future and releasing to the academic circles and startups on the purpose of social contribution.

Furthermore SK Telecom and Kakao are planning to raise ESG joint fund and support ESG management for sustainable development in ICT innovation enterprises such as small business and startups. ESG joint fund is being considered as running through Kakao Ventures. Both companies are going to support whole management in ICT innovation enterprises based on their experience of growth support programs targeting various companies. For example a company that solves social and environmental issues and pursues financial performance by running a plastic recycling business will be eligible.

Finally both are going to share their intellectual property (Patents) and open to small business and venture enterprises for public purposes. For this they decided to restrain themselves from intellectual property dispute with each other to strengthen interchange and build joint intellectual property pool in the field of future business such as AI platform and media. Through this the opportunity to use main technology and service asset that they have for free will be extended to small business and venture enterprises.

SK Telecom has participated in patent sharing activity from Korea Invention Promotion Association and Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology for the past 5 years opened total 2597 cases of patent and transferred 130 cases of patent for free in response to the companies’ request. Kakao also has been supporting startups and venture enterprises through various investment and buyout and furthermore they are planning to open intangible assets such as patents to the public and grow together with more companies.

Both have been working closely through ‘Synergy consultative group’ where the representatives from both companies attend after signing up for strategic partnership and trading 300 billion won-valued shares in 2019. It led to SK Telecom-Kakao-Samsung to form ‘AI R&D consultative group’. The three companies are planning to release ‘Pandemic restoration AI’ which is the first result of cooperation targeting the first half of the year. Pandemic restoration AI is a solution that AI analyzes the degree of risk of the location where the user has been to and recommend social distance or suggest detour routes.

Young-sang Yu the representative of MNO Business in SK Telecom said “I expect the main ICT assets from SK Telecom and Kakao would be priming water that leads our society’s evolution” and “We will secure the worlds top class AI technology and use the results for solving serious problems in our society.”

Min-soo Yeo the co-representative of Kakao said “It is meaningful that two big tech companies share the main assets related to AI ESG and IP with the society” and “We will put more effort to contribute development of industry and solve environmental and social issues through ICT technology.”

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