SK Telecom partnered with AI search startup Perplexity in Korea

SK Telecom has been actively engaging with Silicon Valley startups to tap into cutting-edge technology

SK Telecom, South Korea’s largest telecommunications company, has disclosed a collaboration with U.S.-based AI startup Perplexity to introduce an artificial intelligence-driven search engine to its clientele as an alternative to Google and Naver, as reported by Reuters. Under this partnership, SK Telecom's subscribers will have access to the paid version of Perplexity at no cost, while SK Telecom will leverage Perplexity's proprietary models to develop personalized AI assistant products with real-time information capabilities. Details regarding the partnership, including the timeline for the rollout of Perplexity Pro to SKT users, are yet to be finalized, according to SKT’s investment team during an interview.

SK Telecom has left open the possibility of further financial collaboration with Perplexity, potentially through investments or joint ventures, indicating a scope for expansion, the team added. Positioning itself as a competitor to Google in search, Perplexity AI employs generative AI models to respond to user queries and provide sourced information. The company recently secured $73.6 million in funding from investors such as Nvidia and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, with venture capital firm IVP leading the round, valuing the company at approximately $520 million. Based in San Francisco, California, Perplexity recorded 45.6 million visits to its website and mobile web platforms in December, according to data from SimilarWeb. The company offers both free and paid versions of its service, with the premium option priced at $20 per month for unlimited searches.