SK Telecom (SKT) widened a partnership with SK Hynix and Penguin Solutions, agreeing to conduct joint R&D and explore deploying AI data centres in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets as they look to expand globally.

SKT CEO Ryu Young-sang noted in a joint statement it would combine the technologies of SK Group including semiconductors, energy, cooling and memory, with “cooperation from global companies to discover and develop a highly competitive AI infrastructure business model”.

The three plan to build on their existing software capabilities to jointly develop and commercialise software required to operate AI data centres.

SK Hynix and Penguin Solutions also plan to cooperate to develop next-generation memory products for data centres.

Through the collaboration, SK Hynix stated it plans to “overcome the limitations of memory technology” and lead the expansion of the global AI ecosystem.

In 2024, SKT invested $200 million in Penguin Solutions, a US-based data centre construction and management company, and formed a task force with it and SK Hynix to explore opportunities in AI infrastructure.