SK Telecom to Bring AI Assistant to Korean Hotel

SK Telecom is bringing its AI assistant technology to a hotel in Seoul.

The Korean telecom says its Nugu virtual assistant will be deployed at the Grand Walkerhill hotel, allowing hotel guests to perform actions like adjusting lighting and temperature via voice command. The system will initially be installed in 44 rooms, and SK Telecom says it will expand throughout the hotel by the end of the third quarter of 2018.

As Yonhap News Agency reports, the move appears to be a competitive response to a telecommunications rival, KT Corp., which delivered its GiGA Genie Hotel AI platform to the Novotel Ambassador Hotel & Residence in Seoul earlier this year. Commenting on SK Telecom’s deployment, an unnamed official with the company said it “will serve as an opportunity for SK Telecom to expand its AI service to the B2B hotel service sector.”

It all reflects a broader, growing interest in artificial intelligence technology. Numerous companies, including those outside of the traditional tech sector, have been increasingly looking to AI systems to deliver competitive advantages, from improving network connectivity to automating retail. And with voice establishing itself as the key interface for such systems, it’s fair to expect a lot more human-to-computer dialogue in hotel rooms and elsewhere going forward.

Sources: Yonhap News Agency, Telecompaper