In a strategic move to bolster its telecommunications-driven AI (artificial intelligence) ventures, SK Telecom (SKT), South Korea’s largest telecommunications company, has committed a substantial investment of $100 million into Anthropic, a U.S.-based artificial intelligence firm supported by Google. SKT has partnered with Anthropic with the aim of co-developing a cutting-edge large language model (LLM) designed specifically for telecommunications applications.
The two companies will jointly work on the creation of a multilingual LLM that will cater to a range of languages including Korean, English, German, Japanese, Arabic, and Spanish.
Streamlining AI for Telcos
Working together, SK Telecom will use its expertise in telecommunications, and Anthropic will leverage its advanced AI technology, including its AI model Claude to create a customized model for telecommunications companies. Anthropic will collaborate closely with SK Telecom to refine Claude for telco-specific use cases, spanning industry-specific customer service, marketing, sales, and interactive consumer applications.
SKT and Anthropic will seamlessly integrate the multilingual LLM into the Telco AI Platform, presently under the development of the Global Telco AI Alliance. The Global Telco AI Alliance is a collaborative initiative between SK Telecom, Deutsche Telekom, e&, and Singtel that aims to leverage AI technology to enhance customer experiences and drive innovation in the telecommunications sector.
The Telco AI platform eliminates the need for individual telcos to create their own LLMs, saving both cost and time, thereby facilitating the efficient development and deployment of AI services tailored to specific markets.
Founded in 2021 by former executives from OpenAI, Anthropic has rapidly emerged as a strong player in the realm of artificial intelligence. Its Claude models, which directly rival OpenAI’s GPT-4, have gained notable traction and acknowledgment in the industry. In May 2023, Anthropic received a substantial $450 million in Series C funding led by Spark Capital, with participation from notable entities like Google, Salesforce Ventures, and Sound Ventures. The funds will continue to fuel the development of responsible and effective AI systems, including Claude.
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