Telecom carriers can further expand their roles in the era of artificial intelligence as they hold the lead in offering diverse services, KT CEO Kim Young-shub said at a mobile conference in Seoul on Tuesday, saying collaboration with tech rivals is crucial to boost service quality.

"AI-based services have already been realized across all areas, including telecommunications, health care, public transportation, manufacturing and logistics," Kim said in his keynote speech at this year's M360 APAC, the global mobile conference organized by nonprofit mobile industry organization GSMA, in Seoul.

"Having a communication network that supports ultrawideband and ultralow latency is essential to fully realize AI-based services such as personalized mobile services, fully autonomous vehicles and unstaffed factories operated by robots. Telecom companies must continue to lead the evolution toward next-generation networks like 6G."

KT is the host sponsor for M360 APAC, which is being held in Seoul a second consecutive year. At the event opening under the theme of "Advancing Digital Nations with AI," executives of telecommunication companies and tech firms, including CelcomDigi Berhad, Huawei, Samsung Electronics and Telstra, talked about the role of next-generation networks and connectivity in smart mobility.

For telecommunication companies, the key capability to materialize the innovations will depend on how actively they collaborate with big tech firms, startups and other industry players, Kim added, referring to KT's latest partnership with Microsoft.

The Korean mobile carrier has forged a five-year, multibillion-dollar partnership with Microsoft to develop customized artificial intelligence solutions for Korea and to build a tech innovation center.

At the same time, companies should secure sovereignty over data, solutions and infrastructure, the KT chief said.

Kim also raised the prospect that the development of communication networks will shift from progressing in generational stages to coexisting based on their specific applications.

"In the future, 4G, 5G and 6G will coexist, each delivering optimized services in their respective areas," Kim said.

Appearing as a keynote speaker at the event, Samsung Electronics President Kim Woo-june, who leads the networks business, called for a comprehensive overhaul in infrastructure, processes and organizational structures for telecommunication firms to fully embrace the transformative potential of AI, pointing out that the current structure is "inflexible."

"(Currently) you have different functions that are built on different hardware having different management systems managed by different people. ... Unless your fundamental infrastructure changes, I think this is going to be the main problem for telcos in the coming age," Kim said.

Citing steam engines and electrical power that previously led industrial revolutions, Kim noted that fundamental changes are required for AI to drive the next industrial revolution.

"Tomorrow's network should be a multipurpose network that is flexible and offers a single point of control so you can add and change things easily," Kim said, adding that these changes would result in simplified organization, more efficient operations and lower costs.

Samsung Electronics aims to introduce an end-to-end software-defined open network that is flexible for the goal, Kim said.

"We are transferring everything into software, and making the industry's first software-defined infrastructure. We are trying to make an AI-friendly, flexible automated network that will enable telcos to win going forward," Kim said.

In the opening session, other speakers including GSMA Director General Mats Granryd and Science Minister Yoo Sang-im also delivered congratulatory remarks.

KT showcased AI-based health care and 6G preliminary technologies, while also introducing the AI and ICT convergence technologies of top partner companies.