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LG's AI phone bot will soon be powered by Google Gemini

Published: 04 Mar. 2025, 17:00 Updated: 04 Mar. 2025, 17:11

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

From left, Matt Renner, global head of sales at Google Cloud, LG U+ CEO Hong Bum-shik and Karen Teo, vice president of Asia-Pacific platforms and devices partnerships at Google, take a commemorative photo at MWC 2025 in Barcelona, Spain, on March 3, after announcing a partnership to advance the Korean company's AI agent, ixi-O. [LG U+]

LG U+ will integrate Google's Gemini into its AI phone agent, ixi-O, as rivals in the telecom space also map out bold forays into the AI space.

The wireless carrier will fine-tune Gemini through Vertex AI, Google's platform that allows enterprise to customize its generative AI model for their purposes, under a new partnership announced at MWC, formerly Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday. The resulting agent will have enhanced ability to analyze phone conversations, summarize key points and provide actionable follow-up recommendations, as well as instantly retrieve relevant locations, objects and contextual information.

Additionally, LG U+ is considering implementing Google’s Grounding with Google Search feature, which enables models to conduct real-time web searches for more accurate responses.

The two companies will also work to expand ixi-O services globally, with the ultimate goal of evolving the agent into what LG U+ calls “actionable AI” — an advanced system designed to understand user intent.

“We aim to introduce differentiated AI services that enhance convenience while ensuring safety and reliability for all users, through which we plan to expand into the global market,” said LG U+ CEO Hong Bum-shik.

LG U+ competitor KT defined satellite, quantum and AI networks as technologies that would drive 6G innovation at the Barcelona trade show. KT expects satellite communication to play a crucial role in rollout of 6G and aims to expand coverage beyond land to maritime and aerial regions for disaster management systems.

It plans to develop a multitiered, non-terrestrial network using geostationary satellites, low-earth orbit satellites and high-altitude platform stations to achieve 3-D spatial coverage.

KT is also enhancing quantum encryption technology, which uses quantum mechanics to securely send encryption keys, to make communications more secure.

It is utilizing AI-driven networks to establish spam filtering and voice phishing detection technologies, and will further expand to other sectors such as autonomous driving and other AI-powered services.

SK Telecom hosted a Global Telco AI Alliance general meeting on Monday, during which the association's official logo was unveiled for the first time. The design symbolizes the alliance's commitment to connectivity, collaboration and synergy between telecom and AI.

The alliance includes SKT, Deutsche Telekom, e&, Singtel and SoftBank.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]