KT Alpha unveils 'SHIFT 2026' strategy to become AI-driven connected commerce company

KT Alpha announced its 2026 management strategy, "SHIFT 2026," on Wednesday, the company's 35th anniversary. The plan centers on transforming the company into a "connected commerce" enterprise powered by AI and data.

The company outlined specific action items under the strategy. Its T-commerce arm, KT Alpha Shopping, plans to expand exclusive brands and curated products while strengthening the mobile shopping experience. Giftshow, its mobile gift voucher service, will launch a customer-choice integrated voucher in the second half of next year and expand services targeting corporate customers.

KT Alpha also plans to accelerate its AI transformation, starting with the standardization of customer, product and content data. The company will enhance AI-driven search, recommendation and personalization services, introduce real-time customer experience features, and use AI-powered workflow innovation to boost organizational productivity.

The company also aims to deepen synergies within the KT Group by linking group assets — including KT membership and Genie TV — to its commerce business, while broadening its growth base through external partnerships and strategic investment.

"Through years of profitability-focused restructuring, we achieved the overwhelming result of growing operating profit 13-fold — from 3.4 billion won ($2.25 million) in 2021 to 44.2 billion won in 2025," CEO Park Jung-min said. "On the strength of that solid earnings base, it is now time to grow bigger and broader."