SK Telecom Expands AI Diagnosis Assistant Service for Pets in North America

SK Telecom (NYSEL SKM, "SKT") is launching its AI-based veterinary diagnosis assistance service 'X Caliber' in North America, home to the world's largest pet market.

SKT has entered into a partnership with Nuon Imaging & Nikki Health Solutions("Nuon Nikki"), leading distributors of digital veterinary diagnostic imaging services for Veterinarians in Canada. This collaboration will bring X Caliber to over 100 veterinary hospitals across Canada, leveraging the integration of Nuon Nikki's advanced veterinary imaging software, Skyline PACS (Picture Archiving & Communication System) for Vets.

In addition, SKT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Myvet Imaging, a U.S. X-ray equipment distributor. Following a successful proof-of-concept (PoC) trial at a prominent veterinary hospital in New Jersey, the two parties plan to finalize a commercial contract within the third quarter of this year.

"With these AI capabilities of SKT X Caliber AI Healthcare, we are dedicated to pioneer groundbreaking solutions that genuinely improve the well-being of pets," said Son In-hyuk, Global Solution AIX Vice President, SKT.

The decision to launch X Caliber in North America is attributed to the region's exceptional love for pets. Pet ownership statistics reveal that 77% of Canadian households own at least one pet. Canada is home to 28 million pets, and remarkably, about 20% of cats and dogs have been with their owners for over a decade as of 2021. The U.S. on the other hand represents the world's largest pet market as 66% of U.S. households own pets as of 2022, according to the American Pet Products Association's report.

X Caliber is an innovative service that uses AI to analyze X-ray images of dogs/cats in about 15 seconds with a sensitivity of 86-94%. Thanks to X Caliber's use of cloud technology for data storage and retrieval, there is no need to install a separate server within the hospital. This allows veterinarians to access the results of the AI-based image diagnosis on their mobile devices or PCs, anytime and from anywhere.

"We are delighted to introduce AI-powered diagnostic report services, which leverage South Korea's cutting-edge AI technology, to the Canadian market through this agreement," said Mark Little, Nuon Nikki. "We look forward to pioneering the AI era in Canadian veterinary radiology through our partnership with X Caliber."