Kim Wan-jong, president of SK AX, declared 2026 the first year of the "great AI voyage" and said the company will accelerate a shift to AI-centered business and a push into global markets.
Kim said in a New Year's address for 2026, "Only companies that augment themselves through AI can chart a new course in this era of upheaval," adding, "AI transformation is not a choice but a matter of survival."
Looking back on the past year, Kim called it "a time of innovation that changed both the company's name and its constitution." He said the company firmed up its fundamentals through "Back to Basic," achieved a turnaround by improving execution structures through AI use, and stood at the starting line for the AI era by changing its name to SK AX.
He also stressed the urgency of AI transformation. Kim said, "A company that fails to augment itself through AI may stagnate or face 'sudden death,'" adding, "Through focused efforts over the past three years, we have built the foundation and asset to respond to this change."
SK AX will pursue a growth strategy for 2026 around three core tasks. The first task, "Being AX," is a plan to fundamentally redesign how work is done around AI to boost productivity. Kim emphasized that the company must deliver a different level of results through "Doing Different," not mere process tweaks.
The second task is the role of "AI·DT enabler," driving customers' AX transitions. Kim framed the gap between customers' domain knowledge and fast-evolving AI technology as a market opportunity, saying SK AX should become an execution partner that organically orchestrates Agentic AI from consulting to design, build, and operations.
He also made clear the intention to go global. Kim said, "If we think boldly and execute a half-beat faster, the leadership in the newly opening AI market will be ours," outlining plans to deliver tangible results overseas.
He also cited fundamentals of sustainability as a core task. Kim named SHE, cybersecurity and compliance as prerequisites for AI innovation, saying, "If even one of these wavers, the company's trust and value can collapse in an instant." He then asked each member to recognize and practice security and safety as the basics of their work.
Kim said, "2026 is the year SK AX begins a new journey into the great AI voyage era," and emphasized, "The organization and members must unite as one team and move with a field-first focus on customers and business."