SK Telecom is stepping up support for artificial intelligence transformation (AX) projects. It will provide an application programming interface (API) for its in-house AI model A.X K1 to support Korean startups developing AI services.

SKT said on July 26 it will participate in the Ministry of SMEs and Startups-led 2026 Everyone’s Challenge AX-LLM and collaborate with three startups.

Everyone’s Challenge AX-LLM is a programme that supports technical collaboration needed as Korean startups adopt and use domestic AI models. Seven companies are participating as demand-side companies, including SKT, which has its own large language model (LLM), as well as Upstage, LG AI Research, NC AI, KT, Naver Cloud and Oracle.

The programme works by having startups choose one of the demand-side companies and submit a business plan, after which the company screens proposals and selects collaboration partners.

SKT said it received collaboration applications from the most startups among the demand-side companies. It conducted screening with outside experts and made a final selection of three companies: Teamlimited, Purcelli and Devall Company.

Teamlimited provides a personalised shopping curation agent based on its receipt platform. Purcelli offers an AI-based influencer marketing and promotion automation solution, and Devall Company operates an AI solution for managing delinquent debt.

SKT will provide the A.X K1 API to these startups through the end of this year. Linked to its startup nurturing programme SKTCH with AI, it will also support service advancement and validation for commercialisation.

Each startup plans to shift its existing service to be based on A.X K1 and develop and validate AI services that can be used at customer touchpoints. They will also pursue a proof of concept (PoC) for business cooperation with SKT.

A.X K1 is a model SKT developed through a government project for an independent AI foundation model. SKT completed development of the model at the end of last year and is expanding its scope of use to startups and the developer ecosystem.

Eom Jong-hwan (엄종환), head of sustainability management at SKT, said, "Through collaboration with startups, we will expand the scope of use of SKT’s independent AI model and contribute to revitalising Korea’s AI ecosystem."