KT: "60% of Domestic Financial Firms and 30% of Public Institutions Are at the AX Implementation Stage"

[Financial News] A new assessment finds that 60% of South Korean financial firms and 30% of public institutions have entered the AI transformation (AX) implementation stage, applying artificial intelligence (AI) to their actual operations. To make AX more effective in these two sectors, the financial sector must secure a return on investment (ROI) and reliability, while the public sector must focus on measuring budgets and performance and integrating data.
On the 14th, KT assessed in the financial and public-sector editions of its KT AX Insight Report that 60% of financial institutions and 30% of public institutions had entered the AX implementation stage, including proof-of-concept (PoC) projects, applying AI to selected tasks, or expanding its use across the organization.
The report was based on a survey conducted last July of 400 people, including 200 employees of domestic banks, securities firms, insurers, and credit card companies, as well as 200 employees of central government ministries, local governments, and public institutions.
The findings showed that the challenges requiring resolution during the AX process differed by industry.
In the financial sector, proving the ROI of AI investments and securing reliability were identified as key challenges. KT proposed starting with tasks whose results can be verified in the short term, such as repetitive document processing and customer service, and then expanding the scope to include ROI measurement systems, AI trust, data standardization, and AI governance.
In the public sector, budget and performance measurement systems and data integration were identified as key challenges. The analysis recommended introducing AI in stages, beginning with low-risk tasks such as document preparation and handling civil complaints, while establishing a system linking performance with budgets. It also called for governance based on data standardization, interagency integration, and explainable AI.
The report divides the AX implementation process into three stages: pre-review and interest, PoC and partial operation, and expansion across the organization. It also presents response strategies for institutional changes, including the easing of network-separation regulations and revisions to AI guidelines.
Examples from the financial sector include AI contact centers (AICC), generative AI platforms, and financial-sector-specific AI search. In the public sector, the report covers the introduction of subscription-based AI agents and the establishment of next-generation security systems.
KT plans to establish itself as an end-to-end (E2E) AX partner that supports customers from developing AX strategies through implementation, operation, and advancement, drawing on its capabilities in AI services, platforms, and infrastructure.
Jang Dae-sung, an executive at the Enterprise Strategy Division of KT’s Enterprise Business Division, said, "We hope the report will help B2B and B2G customers successfully pursue AX."
[email protected] Choi Hye-rim Reporter