SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM) today unveiled ‘Aster(A*)’, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven personal assistant tailored for global users, at the SK AI Summit 2024. Aster, presented on the second day of the summit during the session titled ‘Navigate Your Life with a Personal AI Agent,’ conveys the meaning of a ‘Guiding Companion’ for everyday life.

The service is scheduled to launch a closed beta in North America later this year, with a full market launch planned for the following year.

Aster is designed as an ‘Agentic AI,’ going beyond simple Q&A or search functions by understanding users' intentions to set goals, make plans, and complete tasks on their behalf. SK Telecom aims to deliver innovative experiences through Aster, guided by concepts such as ‘Planning Made Easy,’ ‘Never Drop the Ball,’ and ‘Timely Answer.’ To bring these concepts to life, SK Telecom is focused on optimizing its large language model (LLM) and Agent platforms. This will enable the delivery of personalized information and the planning and execution of tasks based on the identified intentions of customers.

In the beta version, Aster can assist with requests such as, “Help me prepare dinner for a party this weekend.” The system then prompts relevant questions to clarify needs, for example, “Would you prefer a chicken satay salad or turkey and vegetable stir-fry?” Aster subsequently structures each step of the task, from suggesting recipes and listing ingredients to organizing a cooking schedule. It can even connect users with services to purchase listed items.

SK Telecom plans to enhance Aster’s capabilities through partnerships with global search providers, LLM developers, and third-party applications aiming to establish a comprehensive AI ecosystem for North American users.

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“With Aster, users are interacting with a single app, but they’re actually tapping into an extensive AI ecosystem,” said Chung Suk-geun, Head of the Global/AI Tech Business at SK Telecom. “We’re committed to providing unparalleled value and convenience to our customers through continuous development and strategic collaborations.”