SK Telecom is accelerating its push to join the ranks of global AI leaders with the launch of an ultra-large-scale artificial intelligence model, A.X K1, featuring 500 billion parameters, as part of its vision to realize “AI for all.”
SK Telecom’s elite AI team unveiled A.X K1 on December 30 during the first public briefing of the Independent AI Foundation Model Project, hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT at COEX in Seoul. The presentation was delivered by Jeong Seok-geun, Head of SK Telecom’s AI CIC.
During the briefing, Jeong outlined the competitiveness of A.X K1 from three key perspectives. First, he emphasized that AI performance is closely tied to model scale, noting that a 500-billion-parameter model is essential for South Korea to reach the global top tier of AI development. Models of this scale are capable of tackling complex industrial challenges and can function as AI-based social infrastructure that enhances productivity and efficiency across the economy.
Second, SK Telecom highlighted its integrated “AI value chain,” spanning infrastructure, models, and services, as a key differentiator. Core assets include “Haein,” SK Telecom’s GPU cluster, and the Ulsan AI Data Center, which is being developed as the country’s largest AI-dedicated facility. The company also underscored its extensive research collaborations with faculty from Seoul National University and KAIST, along with partnerships across diverse sectors such as semiconductors, gaming, mobility, data, and AI services.
Third, the company pointed to its ability to drive AI adoption across both consumer and enterprise markets as a foundation for expanding AI access. SK Telecom currently operates the consumer-facing AI service “A.”, which has more than 10 million users, and works closely with group affiliates including SK hynix, SK Innovation, and SK AX to promote AI-driven transformation across industries.
An exhibition space at COEX allows visitors to experience A.X K1 firsthand through a chatbot-style interface. Users can choose between “Fast Mode,” designed for quick information retrieval and everyday knowledge, and “Thinking Mode,” which supports more complex reasoning tasks such as solving advanced math problems or generating code in response to user prompts.
“A.X K1 is a model designed to go beyond a chatbot and expand into a wide range of service applications,” said Kim Tae-yoon, Head of Foundation Model Development at SK Telecom. “We will continue our efforts to secure global AI competitiveness and build AI that everyone can use.”
