"In the future, customers will demand 'tokens' beyond data. If we have the infrastructure to create these tokens and the technology to optimize them, the Artificial Intelligence Data Center (AIDC) will not only be a new business but also a new growth engine for the telecommunications industry," said Seok-geun Jeong, CEO of SK HYPER and head of SKT AI CIC and the AIDC Integration Promotion Team, during a briefing at the company newsroom on August 12.
He explained that the role of telecommunications companies, which have traditionally provided data based on their networks, will expand in the AI era to include offering computing resources and tokens based on AIDC.
To this end, SK Group is elevating the AIDC business to a core initiative at the group level. The AI CIC at SK Telecom is designing the business direction, while the newly established SK HYPER is responsible for developing and investing in the AIDC business. The AIDC Integration Promotion Team will consolidate related capabilities within the group to accelerate business execution. Jeong emphasized, "It is important for each of the three organizations to perform their roles smoothly."
Jeong pointed to the growing importance of infrastructure in AI competition as a key reason for expanding the AIDC business. He noted that as algorithms and data for creating AI models rapidly standardize, the ability to secure sufficient power and servers has become a competitive differentiator.
He explained that AIDC, which aggregates large-scale Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in one location, requires more power and computing resources than traditional data centers. While existing data centers focused on Central Processing Units (CPUs) and storage, AIDC will incorporate large-scale GPUs. Given the high power consumption of GPUs and the performance benefits of clustering multiple GPUs, securing large-scale infrastructure is crucial.
Jeong also forecasted that AIDC could evolve into a new national infrastructure, similar to how the construction of highways and high-speed internet spurred growth in related industries. He stated, "When highways and the internet were established, not only did they have construction and economic growth effects, but they also fostered the development of industries such as automotive, oil refining, gaming, search, and telecommunications. I believe that once AI data centers are built, there will be significant economic ripple effects both upstream and downstream." He added, "Our goal is to make South Korea an 'Asia AI Infrastructure Hub,' and it is essential for AI CIC, SK HYPER, and the AIDC Integration Promotion Team to perform their respective roles effectively."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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