SK Telecom Partners with Defense Ministry to Develop AI Model for Military Use

SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) -- SK Telecom Co. said Thursday it has partnered with the defense ministry to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model tailored for military use as part of a state-led initiative to foster homegrown AI technologies. Under the partnership signed between SK Telecom and the Ministry of Defense, the two sides will work together to develop and verify a defense-specialized AI model based on the telecommunications company's AI foundation model, according to SK Telecom. They will also cooperate in collecting and utilizing open defense-related data. The defense ministry's project to develop a military AI model has been selected for a state-run program that provides graphics processing unit (GPU) support for high-performance AI model development. The ministry plans to begin developing a lightweight version of the AI model in collaboration with SK Telecom in the second quarter. The lightweight model will first undergo pilot testing in the defense sector before being further refined into a defense-specific AI model through additional training using defense-related data. The partnership is part of the science ministry's broader initiative to develop homegrown, or "sovereign," AI models aimed at accelerating South Korea's AI transformation and strengthening the country's position in the global AI race. SK Telecom was named one of four finalists for the national project with its hyperscale AI model, A.X K1.