“Now 29 countries remain.”

This was the report that Choi Yun-ho, Executive Vice President and Head of the AI Business Group in the Consumer Division at LG Uplus, delivered to CEO Hong Beom-sik after returning last month from finalizing the export contract for the artificial intelligence (AI) call assistant ‘ixi-O’ with Malaysia. It was a light-hearted remark aimed at CEO Hong, who had repeatedly said, “We must export ixi-O to 30 countries.”

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 26, held in Barcelona, Spain, in March, Hong declared that “LG Uplus will leap forward as a global AI software company” and publicly committed to exporting ixi-O. A little over two months later, on the 12th of last month, the company announced an agreement with Malaysian telecom operator Maxis on the local launch of ixi-O. This marks the first time a Korean telecom operator has exported an AI service it developed in-house as software as a service (SaaS), receiving a monthly usage fee.

ixi-O has adopted a “subscription model,” under which monthly revenue increases in proportion to the number of subscribers. Before entering the market, the company conducted a demand survey of 520 local residents to verify the business potential. Choi said, “For a telecom operator to generate steady revenue in global business, the software as a service (SaaS) model is crucial. We are preparing the business with a focus on long-term research and development (R&D) rather than immediate profit,” adding, “As the number of countries we enter grows, the initial R&D costs are spread out, creating a structure where profit margins rise as the service scales up.”

The intensity of the negotiations was reportedly heightened by CEO Hong, who previously worked as a consultant at Bain & Company. At the first briefing, Choi brought only company indicators, prompting Hong to ask, “Have you watched the Maxis CEO’s presentation video on YouTube?” After that, the team used AI to analyze the counterpart CEO’s presentation videos, identifying his interests and disposition.

There were also difficulties. Early this year, the local proposal was effectively rejected. That night, staff members left half a bottle of baijiu at a Chinese restaurant, vowing, “We will drink this after the contract is signed.” When they returned to the restaurant after signing the contract in May, the bottle, labeled “LG” by the owner, was still there, and the working-level staff celebrated with that drink.

Other countries are also reaching out for ixi-O. “After news spread that we had exported a call AI service in SaaS form, a Japanese telecom operator contacted us,” Choi said. As it is rare for telecom operators to offer call AI services overseas in a SaaS model, inquiries have been pouring in from companies seeking to learn about ixi-O’s technological architecture and operational know-how.

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