In a major industry development, four leading global telecommunications companies have united to create the Global Telco AI Alliance. This collective effort aims to utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) to pioneer novel customer experiences and identify untapped business prospects. The formalization of this collaboration took place with the signing of a Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Seoul, South Korea. Key executives present at this momentous signing included Claudia Nemat from Deutsche Telekom, Hatem Dowidar from e&, Yuen Kuan Moon from Singtel, Chey Tae-won from SK Group, and Ryu Young-sang from SK Telecom.
As part of this unique endeavor, the alliance companies intend to co-develop a Telco AI Platform. This innovative platform will lay the foundation for various new AI services, including digital assistants and super apps. Additionally, the collaboratives will establish the Global Telco AI Alliance Joint Working Group. This group’s mandate will be to deliberate on further enhancements to the platform as well as explore potential co-investment opportunities.
Khalifa Al Shamsi, the CEO of e& life, e&’s application and product division, expressed his excitement about the alliance’s transformative potential. “We recognize AI’s immense potential in reshaping the telecommunications landscape and beyond. Our shared goal is to redefine industry paradigms, establish new growth drivers through AI-powered business models, and pave the way for a new era of strategic cooperation, guiding our industry towards an exciting and prosperous future,” he said.
This alliance can be seen as a resounding response from leading telcos to the surge in global interest in AI over the recent years. For instance, SK Telecom announced last year that it was aiming to evolve into an “AI company. Meanwhile, Timotheus Höttges, the CEO of Deutsche Telekom encouraged his team to brainstorm “top-five or top-ten ideas” for leveraging AI to enhance their operations.
