SKT assembles AI security team to build cyber defense model

SK Telecom is forming a unique coalition of AI innovators, cybersecurity firms, and educational institutions to develop an AI-powered cybersecurity model for safeguarding South Korea against sophisticated cyber threats. The company announced on Thursday that it has submitted a proposal for a government-backed initiative to create an AI foundation model tailored for cybersecurity purposes.

This partnership includes collaborations with Upstage, nine security firms, Korea University, Soongsil University, and the Korea Information Security Industry Association (KISIA).

The coalition comprises two of the three teams that recently passed the second stage of evaluation in the government's independent AI foundation model project. SK Telecom and Upstage contribute their respective expertise in model development to the venture. The companies intend to engineer a security-centric model grounded in SK Telecom's A.X K family and Upstage's Solar Open models, subsequently integrating AI agents capable of automating tasks ranging from threat detection to response.

SK Telecom emphasized that the system will undergo training and testing using data and insights derived from actual security operations, ensuring the model remains relevant and effective in combating the evolving landscape of cyber threats.