South Korean telecommunications giant KT is selling its entire inventory of robots, a strategic move aimed at restructuring its business to focus on platform-based control and services. This shift will reduce the burdens of hardware sales and management, allowing the company to concentrate on providing robot solutions and improving profitability.

According to industry sources, KT is in the final stages of negotiations to sell its AI robot terminals to AJ Networks. The company announced, "To enhance our service expertise, we will sell the terminals to AJ Networks, which has robot management know-how, and then rent them to provide robot services."

KT has been operating approximately 4,000 AI service robots, which it previously purchased from manufacturers like LG Electronics and Bear Robotics before leasing or selling them to customers. Under the new model, KT will outsource terminal management and maintenance to AJ Networks. KT will continue to provide rental services to its customers but will now sublease devices it rents from AJ Networks, rather than owning them directly.

This move aligns with the vision of KT CEO Kim Young-sub, who has stated, "KT will not be a robot seller, but a platform provider that uses AI and IT to help customers use robots comfortably." By entrusting a specialized firm with parts of its business, such as robot supply and after-sales service, KT seeks to improve efficiency.

Moving forward, KT will focus on its core strengths: real-time remote control, data analysis, and providing its AI robot platform to small business owners. A KT official stated, "We plan to improve our robot business model to focus on rental and consignment sales to strengthen our robot solution competitiveness."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]