SK Telecom has partnered with Nvidia to accelerate the development of a next-generation artificial intelligence model in South Korea, strengthening the country’s push toward building its own sovereign AI ecosystem. The collaboration centers around the development of the A.X K2 foundation model, a successor to its earlier A.X K1 system.
The partnership was highlighted during Nvidia Nemotron Developer Days Seoul 2026, where both companies shared details of their joint efforts. The collaboration spans critical areas such as data, infrastructure, and training environments, enabling the development of large-scale AI models tailored to domestic needs.
SK Telecom has been leveraging Nvidia’s advanced technologies, including its Nemotron datasets and AI development frameworks like Megatron-LM and NeMo Curator. These tools have played a key role in improving the stability and efficiency of training hyperscale models. The earlier A.X K1 model, built with 519 billion parameters, already demonstrated the scale of ambition behind South Korea’s independent AI initiative.
The upcoming A.X K2 model is expected to incorporate even more advanced capabilities, including multimodal features and vision-language models. Both companies are actively conducting joint research in these areas, aiming to enhance performance and expand real-world applications of AI across industries.
This collaboration reflects a broader national strategy to reduce reliance on foreign AI systems and build localized alternatives that align with regional data, language, and regulatory requirements. South Korea has been investing heavily in AI infrastructure and partnerships, positioning itself as a key player in the global AI race.
Overall, the partnership between SK Telecom and Nvidia underscores the growing importance of cross-industry collaboration in developing advanced AI systems. By combining telecom infrastructure with cutting-edge AI hardware and software, the initiative aims to create a robust foundation for South Korea’s future in artificial intelligence.
