SK Telecom Restructures AI Division and Boosts Its Focus

AI Division Restructuring: SK Telecom, South Korea's telecommunications giant, is restructuring its new Artificial Intelligence Division (AI CIC) just weeks after its launch on September 25, 2025. This strategic change aims to enhance the company's focus on AI, with a voluntary retirement program offered to employees within the unit as part of broader efforts to integrate and consolidate all company divisions involved in AI innovation, as confirmed by the company.

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Voluntary Retirement Program: Details and Objectives

Voluntary Retirement Program: According to an SK Telecom spokesperson, the voluntary retirement program being offered is a supportive initiative aimed at helping employees adapt to organizational changes, and is by no means intended to downsize the workforce or forcibly lay off employees. This program aims to provide support for employees whose job roles, departments, or even geographical locations may undergo transformations. Employees who choose to stay with the company may be reassigned to regional offices, ensuring continuity of work and support.

Retirement Program Details: Details of the voluntary retirement program for employees of the AI unit from all levels, from entry-level to senior staff, were announced according to informed industry sources. Media reports indicate that this unit comprises approximately 1,000 employees specializing in the field of artificial intelligence.

Role and Responsibilities of the New AI CIC Division

AI CIC Division Objectives: The new Artificial Intelligence Division, AI CIC, aims to unite and integrate all multiple AI units within SK Telecom under a strong, centralized management umbrella. This strategic process includes streamlining potentially overlapping roles and tasks, with the goal of enhancing efficiency and innovation. These changes are expected to lead to job transformations, departmental reorganization, or transfers of some employees as part of the overall optimization process.

AI CIC Responsibilities: The AI CIC division is fully responsible for the development and expansion of SK Telecom's innovative personal AI agent, known as A. (A.dot), which aims to provide a globally competitive personal AI assistant service. Its scope of work also includes managing AI data center operations, developing AI solutions for enterprises, and leading strategic global partnerships and investments in the Artificial Intelligence sector.

Future Goals and Expected Impact

Severance Packages: Severance packages offered to employees are expected to vary based on their years of service and job positions. However, the official spokesperson stressed that the company has not set any specific internal targets for the number of participants in this program. Since participation is entirely voluntary, it is currently difficult to estimate the overall impact of the program on the company's general organizational structure.

SK Telecom's Strategic Goals: Through this strategic restructuring, SK Telecom aims to streamline its operations and enhance its operational efficiency, with a central focus on innovation in Artificial Intelligence. The company aspires to achieve annual revenues for its AI division of 5 trillion Korean Won (approximately 3.5 billion USD) by 2030. This significant growth is expected to be driven by both consumer and business-oriented AI services (B2C and B2B), as well as the development of advanced infrastructure to support Artificial Intelligence.

Strengthening AI Infrastructure and Partnerships

Infrastructure Initiatives: As part of its continuous efforts to enhance its leadership in the field of Artificial Intelligence, SK Telecom recently unveiled an advanced AI infrastructure initiative, which includes offering Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) Nvidia Blackwell as a service. This move is part of the company's strategy to build a national AI infrastructure, including the development of the 'Haein Cluster' to support the 'Petasus AI Cloud' service. Earlier this month, the company also formed a strategic partnership with OpenAI to develop AI data centers in southwest Korea, as part of the 'Stargate Korea' initiative aimed at boosting the country's AI capabilities.