Seoul: SK Telecom Co. announced its collaboration with the defense ministry to create a military-focused artificial intelligence (AI) model, as part of a national effort to promote indigenous AI technologies.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the agreement between SK Telecom and the Ministry of Defense will focus on developing and validating a defense-specialized AI model using SK Telecom's existing AI foundation model. The collaboration will also entail gathering and utilizing open defense-related data to enhance the model's capabilities.
The defense ministry's AI model development project has been chosen for a state-run initiative that offers graphics processing unit (GPU) resources to support the creation of high-performance AI models. The ministry is set to commence the development of a lightweight AI model in collaboration with SK Telecom during the second quarter.
This initial lightweight model will undergo pilot testing within the defense sector before undergoing further refinements. The goal is to create a defense-specific AI model through additional training with defense-related data.
The partnership aligns with the science ministry's larger goal of fostering homegrown, or "sovereign," AI models. This initiative aims to expedite South Korea's AI transformation and bolster its standing in the global AI landscape. SK Telecom was recognized as one of the four finalists for the national project, based on its hyperscale AI model, A.X K1.