SK Telecom and SK AX have entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate innovation in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, AI services, and cloud adoption across key industries.
Announced jointly on 27 November, the partnership aims to deliver customized AI solutions and establish a robust hybrid AI cloud environment that combines the strengths of all three companies.
Customized AI Solutions Across Industries
Under the agreement, SK Telecom will integrate its communication and AI technologies with SK AX’s industry-specific expertise in AI system development and operations, alongside AWS’s global cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities. Together, the companies plan to deliver tailored AI solutions designed to meet the specific needs of sectors such as finance, gaming, the public sector, manufacturing, retail, and start-ups.
The partners emphasize that these solutions will reflect the operational realities of diverse corporate clients, enabling efficient, scalable, and sector-optimized AI deployment.
Hybrid AI Cloud to Support Sensitive Data Needs
A central feature of the cooperation is the development of a hybrid AI cloud environment capable of addressing stringent data protection requirements. SK Telecom will integrate its own AI compute resources, including proprietary GPUs, with AWS’s global cloud infrastructure. This approach will allow sensitive data to be processed securely on SK Telecom’s servers while benefiting from the scalability and global reach of AWS.
This model is particularly aimed at industries—such as finance and manufacturing—that face regulatory or operational barriers to adopting fully cloud-based solutions.
Five-Year Collaboration to Strengthen Cloud Leadership
Over the next five years, SK Telecom and SK AX plan to provide stable access to AWS cloud infrastructure and AI services, deepening their cloud management expertise and strengthening their competitive position in the managed service provider (MSP) market.
Executive Statements
Heo Min-hoe, Head of AI Cloud at SK Telecom, stated:
“We expect to accelerate cloud-based AI service innovation through this strategic cooperation. We will continue to expand our service capabilities to reinforce our position as a competitive MSP.”
Shin Jang-soo, Head of SK AX’s Cloud Division, added:
“We will demonstrate strong execution in the global market by delivering an AI cloud environment that enhances productivity, flexibility, cost-efficiency, and security for customers across manufacturing, finance, retail, gaming, and more.”