SK Telecom is seeking to use next-generation messaging service RCS (Rich Communication Services) as a channel for users to give final approval before an AI agent carries out real-world actions.

SKT said it will hold an in-person standardisation meeting of the GSMA RCS Group at the SKT Tower in Seoul from Sept. 15 to 18 and discuss ways to combine AI and messaging services.

RCS is a next-generation messaging standard that allows users to use various functions, such as sending photos and videos, within a smartphone’s default messaging app. The GSMA RCS Group is a consultative body under the GSMA in which global telecom operators, device and platform companies and business messaging operators discuss RCS technology standards and service specifications.

The meeting will be attended by working-level staff from 16 companies including global telecom operators such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Orange, and Apple, Google and Samsung Electronics, as well as 33 GSMA secretariat officials. SKT proposed an AI agenda to the GSMA and will hold a special session on Sept. 17 under the theme “The evolution of AI and messaging.”

The session will discuss the direction of combining RCS and AI agents, trust in AI and user control, improvements to AI-based brand registration procedures, and AI-based spam responses for business messaging. SKT in particular proposed using RCS as a standard agenda item so users can directly check and approve order details and payment amounts before an AI agent finalises an actual transaction.

“AI Agent Approval over RCS” is a method of confirming a user’s final intent through a separate messaging channel rather than within an AI service. After an AI agent prepares a booking or payment, it sends an RCS message and the user directly checks the details and decides whether to proceed.

SKT explained that if the approval process is also carried out within an AI service, it can be affected by malfunctions or external influences, and if approval methods differ by AI agent, users may find it difficult to judge whether a request is legitimate.

Using RCS allows only pre-registered and verified companies to display their names and logos, letting users confirm who is making the approval request. Product images and an “approve” button can also be included in the message, enabling responses without moving to a separate app.

The approval request and the processing result also remain in the conversation list of the smartphone’s default messaging app. For example, when an AI agent prepares a product purchase and payment, users can check the order details and payment amount in an RCS message and then decide whether to execute it.

Yu Kyung-sang (유경상), head of SK Telecom’s AI CIC, said, “As AI does more on behalf of users, it becomes more important to have a touchpoint where users directly confirm important details and make the final decision.” He added, “We will make standard discussions more concrete with global partners so messaging can develop into a trust-based channel connecting AI agents and users.”