SK Telecom said Wednesday it has signed a partnership agreement with Schneider Electric, a French-based firm specializing in energy management and automation, to cooperate in the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems sector for artificial intelligence data centers.

Under the agreement, the telecom carrier and the French firm will discuss the construction of hyperscale AI data centers at regional hubs in Korea and explore comprehensive collaboration across all business areas of the MEP sector, including components, product solutions and consulting services.

SK Telecom believes that combining its expertise in AI data center expansion with Schneider Electric’s capabilities in MEP, power, cooling and integrated security management platforms will generate significant synergies.

In the long term, SK Telecom plans to integrate these cooling technologies into SK Group's AI data center solution packages.

The company also aims to develop joint AI data center solutions with Schneider Electric as part of a long-term partnership, leveraging their combined strengths to expand into global markets.

“Our collaboration with Schneider Electric, a world-class AI data center solutions provider, will not only enhance SK Telecom’s competitiveness in AI data centers but also play a crucial role in expanding our global presence,” said SK Telecom CEO Ryu Young-sang.

By Jie Ye-eun (yeeun@heraldcorp.com)