SK Telecom is restructuring its new AI division and doubles down on infrastructure
In sum – what to know:
AI-first pivot – SK Telecom is restructuring its new AI division just weeks after launch, consolidating units and offering voluntary retirement as it targets ₩5 trillion (~$3.5B) in annual AI revenue by 2030.
Infrastructure ambition – The company is building one of South Korea’s largest GPU clusters and partnering with OpenAI on new data centers, positioning itself at the core of the AI compute layer.
Moving beyond connectivity – GPU-as-a-service, enterprise AI, and automation services mark a strategic shift away from telco-as-pipe toward deeper value creation in the AI economy.
South Korean telco SK Telecom is moving quickly to realign its business around artificial intelligence. Just weeks after launching its new AI division, the company is offering a voluntary retirement program to employees as part of a sweeping plan to consolidate and streamline its AI operations.
The reorganization centers on AI CIC (Company-in-Company) — a new unit designed to integrate SK Telecom’s many AI initiatives into a single, agile hub. CEO Yoo Young-sang described the launch during a company-wide meeting on September 25 as a pivotal step in transforming how the telco approaches innovation.
“To seize the opportunities of this golden era of AI, we must pursue both internal innovation from the consumer perspective and business innovation from the provider perspective,” Yoo said.
The AI CIC will unify a range of efforts, including SK Telecom’s A. (A dot) personal assistant, its enterprise AI services, data center operations, R&D programs, global partnerships, and authentication platforms. The company says the voluntary retirement program — which involves no forced layoffs — is designed to support employees whose roles, teams, or work locations may change as a result. Workers who stay could be reassigned to new positions or regional offices. Media reports estimate that the unit employs roughly 1,000 people.
Severance packages under the voluntary retirement program will vary by tenure and role, said SK Telecom.
The restructuring is part of a broader shift as SK Telecom aims to become an AI-first company. The operator is targeting ₩5 trillion (~$3.5 billion) in annual AI revenue by 2030, driven by B2C and B2B services, infrastructure, and new digital offerings.
To support those ambitions, SK Telecom is investing heavily in infrastructure. The company recently partnered with OpenAI to build new data centers in Korea under the Stargate Korea initiative and has launched a GPU-as-a-service (GPUaaS) platform powered by more than 1,000 Nvidia B200 GPUs — one of the largest clusters in the country.
Analysts see GPUaaS as a key entry point for telecom operators into the AI ecosystem. According to ABI Research, telcos could collectively generate more than $21 billion in GPUaaS revenue by 2030. But revenue isn’t the only motivation. “They’re first and foremost built for internal workflow purposes and integrating AI,” ABI Research analyst Larbi Belkhit told RCR Wireless News. “GPU-as-a-service is an entryway into the AI market for telcos — not the final step — because it goes back to what telcos are known for — managing infrastructure.”
By reshaping its workforce, consolidating operations, and building out AI infrastructure, SK Telecom is positioning itself to evolve beyond traditional connectivity — and become a major player in the global AI economy.
