Global Telco AI Alliance: SK Telecom and Deutsche Telekom Collaborate on Language Model

Jon Abrahamson, Claudia Nemat, Tim Höttges (all Telekom) James Ryu, SG Chung (both SKT). © SK Telecom

(IN BRIEF) SK Telecom (SKT) and Deutsche Telekom have teamed up to create a specialized language model for digital customer service assistants in the telecommunications industry. This collaboration is part of the “Global Telco AI Alliance” initiative, and they plan to work with AI companies to develop a multilingual model for telcos, unveiling it in early 2024. This customized language model will improve customer inquiries’ understanding and response in the telecom sector. Telekom Deutschland’s Ask Magenta service bot is one of the first beneficiaries of this initiative, offering enhanced customer service through natural language interactions. Ask Magenta has been recognized as one of the top digital assistants in the telecommunications industry for four consecutive years.

(PRESS RELEASE) BONN, 23-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — Deutsche Telekom (ETR: DTE), one of the world’s leading integrated telecommunications companies and the largest telecommunications provider in Europe by revenue, and SK Telecom (SKT) have joined forces to pioneer a specialized language model (LLM) tailored to the unique requirements of digital assistants in customer service within the telecommunications sector. This initiative aims to streamline the efficient deployment of generative AI models, significantly enhancing the capabilities of telecommunications companies in serving their customers.

The collaboration signifies the commencement of the “Global Telco AI Alliance,” a visionary alliance consisting of Deutsche Telekom, e&, Singtel, and SK Telecom, which was officially unveiled earlier this year.

“AI shows impressive potential to significantly enhance human problem-solving capabilities. To maximize its use especially in customer service, we need to adapt existing large language models and train them with our unique data. This will elevate our generative AI tools,” says Claudia Nemat, Member of the Board of Management for Technology and Innovation at Deutsche Telekom.

SKT and Deutsche Telekom intend to engage with leading AI companies such as Anthropic (Claude 2) and Meta (LLaMa2) to co-create a multilingual LLM customized for telcos, supporting languages including German, English, Korean, and more. The maiden version of this telco-specific LLM is slated for unveiling in the first quarter of 2024.

“Through our partnership with Deutsche Telekom, we have secured a strong opportunity and momentum to gain global AI leadership and drive new growth,” said Ryu Young-sang, CEO of SKT. “By combining the strengths and capabilities of the two companies in AI technology, platform and infrastructure, we expect to empower enterprises in many different industries to deliver new and higher value to their customers.”

The signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) in Seoul formalizes the collaboration between these two telecommunications giants for the joint development of this groundbreaking language model.

Advantages of Telco-Specific LLMs

A telco-specific LLM holds a distinct advantage in comprehending customer inquiries pertaining to telecom services compared to generic models. This specialization renders it exceptionally well-suited for deployment in customer service. A digital assistant powered by such an LLM excels in understanding, summarizing, and responding to these specific queries.

The overarching goal is to empower telecommunications companies across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East to establish their own digital assistants underpinned by generative AI. This innovative model aims to expedite the development of tailored digital assistants that seamlessly integrate with their respective environments.

Elevating Customer Service with Ask Magenta

One of the initial beneficiaries of this groundbreaking development is Telekom Deutschland’s Ask Magenta service bot. Since 2016, Ask Magenta has served as a digital assistant and a central hub for service requests, addressing over 380 different concerns, including moving, new offers, billing inquiries, and appliance-related questions. In autumn 2023, “Ask Magenta Voice” was introduced on the mobile phone hotline, allowing customers to freely express their concerns in natural language, enhancing the user experience.

In the previous year, Ask Magenta engaged in over four million customer dialogues, freeing up valuable employee time to tackle more complex issues. The chatbot successfully resolves more than a third of concerns instantly, seamlessly transitioning to human advisors when necessary.

According to the annual analysis by COMPUTER BILD and Statista, “Ask Magenta” has been recognized as one of the telecommunications industry’s leading digital assistants in 2023, marking the fourth consecutive year of this prestigious accolade.

About Deutsche Telekom: Deutsche Telekom at a glance

About SK Telecom: SK Telecom has been at the forefront of the growth of the mobile industry since 1984. Now, the group is taking the customer experience to a new level by going beyond connectivity. By placing  AI at the core of its business, SK Telecom is rapidly transforming into an AI company. The company is focused on  driving innovation in telecommunications, media, AI, metaverse, cloud, and connected intelligence to    create greater value  for  both individuals and businesses. For more information, please contact skt_press@sk.com or visit our LinkedIn page www.linkedin.com/company/sk-telecom.

Media contact:

Verena Fulde
Spokesperson and Telekom Blogger

media@telekom.de
+49 228 181 49494

SOURCE: Deutsche Telekom AG