Kakao-SKT, mutual cooperation and opening of’AI·ESG·Intellectual Property Rights’

Joint development of artificial intelligence technology
Expansion of infrastructure and data
ESG joint fund creation

Kakao and SK Telecom agreed to cooperate with each other in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), environment, society, governance (ESG), and intellectual property rights, and to share key assets such as technologies in the field with our society.

The two companies decided to jointly develop AI technology that represents Korea.

AI technology development takes place in all areas, including infrastructure, data, and language models, and plans to invest and develop intensively starting this year.

To this end, it is planning to share data for AI learning in the form of text, audio, and images with each other and actively use it for development.

The two companies will use jointly developed AI technology in the future, and promote a plan to disclose to academia and start-ups for the purpose of contributing to society.

In addition, Kakao and SK Telecom plan to create an ESG joint fund to support ESG activities for the sustainable development of ICT innovative companies such as SMEs and startups. The ESG joint fund is considering the direction of management through Kakao Ventures.

The two companies plan to support the overall management activities of ICT innovative companies based on their experience in operating growth support programs for numerous companies.

For example, companies that solve social and environmental issues and pursue financial performance at the same time by running a business that makes profits by recycling plastics can be supported.

Lastly, the two companies plan to share their intellectual property rights (patents) with each other and open them to SMEs and venture companies for the public benefit.

Accordingly, in order to strengthen the exchange of intellectual property rights between the two companies, it was decided to refrain from disputes on intellectual property rights between the two companies as much as possible and to establish a joint intellectual property pool for future business fields such as AI, platform, and media.

Through this, opportunities for SMEs and venture companies to use core technology and service assets held by both companies for free are expected to expand.

Kakao has supported startups and venture companies through various investments and acquisitions so far, and furthermore, it plans to open up intangible assets such as patents to grow together with more companies.

SK Telecom has participated in patent sharing activities of the Korea Invention Promotion Association and Korea Industrial Technology Agency for the past five years, opening 2597 patents, and transferring 130 patents free of charge at the request of a company.

The two companies have been working closely together through the’Synergy Council’ in which the representative executives of each company participate since the exchange of shares worth 300 billion won in 2019 and signing a strategic partnership.

This led to the achievement of SK Telecom, Kakao, and Samsung Electronics forming the’AI R&D Council’ in December of last year.

The three companies plan to release the first result of initial cooperation,’Ai overcoming Pandemic,’ aiming for the first half of this year. Pandemic Overcoming AI is a solution that allows AI to identify the risk of corona in the place where the user is located and recommend social distancing or guide a detour route.

Minsu Yeo, Co-CEO of Kakao, said, “I think it is very meaningful that two big tech companies share core assets related to AI, ESG, and intellectual property rights with each other and share with society.” I will try to solve social problems.”

Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom’s MNO Business, said, “We hope that the core ICT assets of SK Telecom and Kakao will be the pick that can accelerate the development of our society.” I will use it.”

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