LG CNS partners with Japan's KDDI to lead AI transformation in Asia-Pacific

LG CNS has teamed up with Japanese telecommunications company KDDI to lead AI transformation in the Asia-Pacific region, with plans to jointly develop new business opportunities through collaboration in AI, smart cities and systems management.

LG CNS announced Wednesday that it had signed an MOU with KDDI to pursue AI transformation (AX) and digital transformation (DX) projects across the Asia-Pacific region.

KDDI is a Japanese telecom company offering a range of services — from business-to-consumer offerings such as mobile and internet to business-to-business IT services including AI, cloud and telecommunications networks. As a global telecom operator, it runs B2B operations across 15 countries and 19 locations in the Asia-Pacific region alone.

The two companies plan to combine LG CNS's AX and DX capabilities with KDDI's telecommunications infrastructure and global network strengths to jointly identify new business opportunities across the region.

Specifically, LG CNS will develop customized agentic AI services for KDDI's Asia-Pacific operations, drawing on its own agentic AI platform, AgenticWorks.

The companies are also exploring cooperation in workplace automation services using physical AI. The core of that effort involves providing integrated robot management services for manufacturing, logistics and retail sites through LG CNS's robot transformation (RX) platform, PhysicalWorks.

The two companies will also seek synergies in smart city projects across Southeast Asia, where major urban modernization drives are actively under way. They plan to build a business model integrating LG CNS's smart city solutions — including urban integrated control systems and intelligent transportation systems — and its global smart city project experience with KDDI's telecommunications infrastructure capabilities.

In addition, the two companies intend to expand joint projects in KDDI's core businesses of telecommunications and integrated systems operations management, sharing key technologies and expertise. To that end, they have identified Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and China as priority markets and are working to develop concrete new business opportunities in those countries.

"We expect to create new business opportunities in the Asia-Pacific market by combining the strengths of both companies," said Park Sang-kyun, head of LG CNS's telecom, retail and service business division. "We will work with KDDI to deliver tangible results in the global AX business."