SEOUL, SK Networks Co., a trading and ICT distribution unit under SK Group, said Thursday it has acquired a 2.6 percent stake in a U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) startup, in its latest investment in AI technologies.
SK Networks spent US$22 million in direct and indirect investments in the $100 million Series C funding round for Humane Inc., an AI-based software platform developer, for the stake, the company said.
The investment was made through an investment company, Hico Capital, it said.
Humane, co-founded in 2018 by Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri, former employees of Apple Inc., develops next-generation mobile computing devices using AI.
Humane is also backed by Microsoft Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Open AI, according to SK Networks.
SK Networks has been investing in AI related tech companies.
In 2021, it invested $25 million in Standard Cognition, an American startup that develops an AI-based autonomous checkout platform.
Source: Yonhap News Agency