KT (030200.KS) is overhauling its customer application "My KT" around artificial intelligence, strengthening personalized benefits and ease of service use. The plan is to expand AI-based services across multiple customer touchpoints, going beyond the AI transformation of internal business systems. Analysts say customer apps are evolving from simple billing-inquiry tools into comprehensive platforms that combine personal assistant functions with marketing.
According to the telecommunications industry on the 29th, the revamped My KT app can now proactively suggest relevant benefits and information based on a customer's usage patterns, subscribed products and membership details. A personalized message area has been added at the top of the app's home and benefits screens to highlight tailored offers first.
The AI agent "My AI" has also been moved to the front of the app. It consists of 14 AI agents specialized in key service areas such as rate plan inquiries, supplementary services, membership and long-term customer benefits. Customers can select from suggested questions or type in their own queries to check telecom-related information including rate plans, membership and benefits. Park Hyun-jin, head of KT's Customer Division, said the company "focused on improving the inconveniences customers feel while using services and on offering needed benefits and AI services first."
The telecom industry's push to apply AI to app services is largely aimed at increasing how often customers use the apps and locking them in as long-term subscribers, analysts said. SK Telecom (017670.KS) strengthened the AI agent features of its AI service "A." at the end of June. Customer convenience improved as the service now waits on hold for call-center agents on the user's behalf and organizes information contained in text messages, even handling follow-up tasks. LG Uplus (032640.KS) operates "ixi-O," an AI calling app that offers call recording and summaries as well as voice-phishing detection.
The AI transformation of customer apps could also serve as a testbed as the companies pursue the government-led "AI for All" project. The three mobile carriers, each participating in a different consortium, plan to formally launch public AI services in December. The services aim to be action-oriented AI that goes beyond answering questions to handle everything from information searches to applications, reservations and payments on the user's behalf.
An industry official said carriers "are focusing on providing AI services differentiated from general-purpose AI providers by tapping industry-specific strengths such as voice services and customer touchpoints," adding that "existing marketing strategies will also change significantly depending on how the AI transformation proceeds."
