LG Uplus teams with Korean universities on conversational voice AI
South Korea’s LG Uplus formed a voice AI research alliance with Seoul National University, KAIST and Yonsei University. The partners will work on conversational tone, choosing which speaker to answer and preserving context in long exchanges. They plan Korean-language evaluation criteria and a shared voice engine, with the resulting technologies gradually entering the operator’s services.
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Three universities divide the conversation tasks
South Korean telecommunications operator LG Uplus formed the K-Voice AI Alliance with Seoul National University, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, and Yonsei University. The partners will research Korean-language voice AI. Seoul National University will study context-appropriate speech styles and natural responses while listening. KAIST will examine which speaker an AI should answer in a group conversation and how it can retain earlier information in lengthy exchanges.[1], [2]
Voice-to-voice research targets the intermediate steps
The research focuses on systems that take spoken input and respond directly in speech. LG Uplus describes conventional voice AI as a sequence of transcription, answer generation and speech conversion, with delays and unnatural pronunciation arising during sequential processing. The new approach aims to carry intonation, emotion and conversational context alongside the words. Participants plan Korean voice AI evaluation criteria and joint development of a K-Voice Engine for different services.[1]
Customer understanding will guide service research
Yonsei University will assess whether customers understand AI explanations and complete consultations when the technology is used in customer service. LG Uplus plans to introduce the resulting technologies gradually into its voice services. The operator outlined its voice AI strategy at the MWC mobile-industry exhibition in March and began working with telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson on network-based voice solutions in July. Technology chief Lee Sang-yeop says the alliance also aims to improve access for older people.[1]
