SK Telecom recently announced its plans to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the O-RAN Alliance for technological cooperation, according to Yonhap News Agency on July 12. The Alliance will focus on standardizing O-RAN and 6G communication network technologies, while SK Telecom aims to standardize edge AI infrastructure for telecom operators through edge computing and AI solutions.
"Open RAN is expected to capture over 20% to 30% of the RAN market by 2028-2030," said Chien-Hsun Lee, MIC's industry consultant. "While progress is not rapid, it is anticipated to gradually replace traditional closed RAN architectures, especially becoming a primary standard in the era of 6G."
Additionally, the company announced a US$10 million investment in generative AI startup Perplexity AI, aiming to enhance its AI personal assistant services, as reported by Telecoms Tech News on June 14. Alongside SK Telecom, Nvidia and Amazon have also invested in Perplexity, a growing rival to Google.