SK Broadband bolsters IPTV with AI

Kim Seong-soo, vice president of customer business division at SK Broadband speaks during a press conference at the company's headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday. (SK Broadband)

SK Broadband, a major South Korean internet service provider, said Wednesday it is introducing an internet protocol television, or IPTV, service using artificial intelligence that aims to provide more tailored content to users.

Under the goal of becoming the paid broadcasting market leader, SK's IPTV platform B tv provides hyper-personalized services to users by analyzing and predicting their lifestyles using AI technology.

"Starting with the launch of 'AI B tv,' we aim to grow into a true AI media firm," said Kim Seong-soo, vice president of customer business division at SK Broadband in a press conference held in Seoul, earlier in the day.

SK has realized the upgraded IPTV service by implementing an automatic personal identification feature that automatically recognizes users watching TV and provides customized content. is the first in the domestic industry to develop and apply such technology, according to SK Broadband officials.

The internet service provider uses a technique of automatically detecting users' profiles through their smartphones that link the B tv and mobile B tv.

SK's AI B tv provides personalized menus such as viewing history, recommended content, favorite video-on-demand services, as well as optimized content in partnership with various online video streaming services including YouTube.

Kim Hyuk, vice president of media company division at the company further hinted that Netflix content will be available starting in May. It is a follow-up to the strategic partnership forged in September after SK ended a yearslong legal battle over network usage fees against Netflix.

It has applied video cloud streaming technology -- the process of storing and delivering video files over the internet -- allowing IPTV users to access services on a cloud server rather than depending on a set-top box itself.

The service offers product descriptions for users who wish to access them while watching VOD content. It can directly connect users to a shopping mall when they scan a QR code for a product with their smartphones.

The IPTV platform also provides an AI human service for older adults, in which an AI virtual human explains information such as the weather and job services through videos.

The English free talking service, which allows children to freely communicate with native-speaking AI characters, is also available.

SK plans to further enhance its AI B tv features next year. The upcoming features will include a psychological analysis for children via ChatGPT and an upgraded content recommendation service by linking with SK Telecom's AI assistant service, A. and ChatGPT.

"In conjunction with SK Telecom's AI pyramid strategy, we hope to make AI B tv become an 'AI life partner' for users that goes beyond their enjoyment of content and provides customized services according to their age, tastes and interests," Kim said.

In September, SK Telecom unveiled the firm's new "AI pyramid strategy," which focuses on three major areas: AI infrastructure, AI transformation and AI service.

SK Broadband, a telecommunications affiliate SK Telecom, is part of the AI pyramid strategy, making its effort to realize the telecom giant's goal to become the "global AI firm."

By Jie Ye-eun(yeeun@heraldcorp.com)