SK Telecom CEO discusses AI growth strategy with global telecom leaders at GSMA M360 ASEAN

SK Telecom is stepping up cooperation with major players across the global telecom industry to build new growth strategies and strengthen digital trust for the AI era.

SK Telecom said Thursday that CEO Jung Jae-heon met with major global telecom industry leaders at the GSMA M360 ASEAN event in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Wednesday (local time), where they discussed new growth strategies for the AI era and ways to build digital trust.

GSMA M360 is a series of regional events held by GSMA across major regions. This year's M360 ASEAN brought together telecom carriers, tech companies and policy authorities from East Asia and ASEAN to address key industry issues, including AI transformation, AI sovereignty, stronger security and trusted networks.

On Wednesday morning, Jung met with GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath to discuss uncovering next-generation growth opportunities for the telecom industry through AI, along with strategies for shifting telecom infrastructure toward an AI-centered model.

In particular, Jung and Badrinath explored cooperation around SK Telecom's AI full-stack strategy and blueprint, spanning infrastructure, models and services. This included the company's ambition to become an "Asian AI infrastructure hub." The two also exchanged views on building digital trust, including strengthening information security systems, preventing digital crime and advancing AI-based network upgrades.

At the event, Jung also held a series of meetings with executives from GSMA, Malaysian companies and major Asian telecom and tech firms, broadening cooperation centered on AI and digital trust.

Jung met with Syed Danial Albukhary, a director at Tradewinds, the investment arm of Malaysia's Al-Bukhary Group, and the two agreed to explore cooperation opportunities between their companies. Al-Bukhary Group is a Malaysian conglomerate that leads key national infrastructure industries, including ports, automobiles, energy, finance and media.

On Wednesday afternoon, Jung joined a roundtable with executives from major telecom and tech companies across Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Participants agreed that securing the trust of customers and society is emerging as a key factor in future competitiveness in the AI era. This can be achieved through stronger security, technological sovereignty and reorganized governance. They also shared experience and know-how on building digital trust and worked out a range of cooperation plans.

"In the AI era, a company's ability to earn the trust of customers and society will determine its competitiveness as much as the pace of technological innovation," Jung said. "We will work with global telecom carriers to flesh out cooperation in digital trust and build a sustainable AI ecosystem."

Meanwhile, SK Telecom said last month that it would establish SK Horizon, a dedicated AI data center company, through a spin-off of SK Broadband. SK Telecom will oversee the SK Group's overall AI data center project, while SK Hyper, established in July, will focus on developing new AI data center projects. Through this, the company plans to position itself as an AI infrastructure hub for Asia.