South Korean Internet Service Provider to Launch AI Service in Seoul Hotel

KT Corp., a South Korean Internet service provider, said it will provide its artificial intelligence (AI) assistant platform to a hotel in Seoul.

GiGA Genie Hotel — an advanced voice recognition butler service that allows hotel room guests to control lighting or use various concierge services — will be adopted at the newly-opened Novotel Ambassador Hotel & Residence in Dongdaemun in central Seoul.

Customers can give commands, such as “please set the room temperature to 24 degrees Celsius,” in either Korean or English instead of using remote controls.

The company said it plans to add concierge features that will allow guests to check out of their rooms and pay for their mini bar or other room services through GiGA Genie Hotel later this year.

The deep learning platform will be available in other languages as well, KT said.

“We have used GiGA Genie Hotel for the past two weeks for a test-run and customers welcomed the features, such as turning off the light or TV,” said Cho Min-sook, a general manager at the hotel.

GiGA Genie Hotel is a follow-up to GiGA Genie, an AI home assistant service that is designed to help make users’ everyday lives easier through services ranging from scheduling to food delivery, KT said.

Foreign visitors booked to stay at the Novotel can also receive a Genie Phone, which can be as a transportation card or to make domestic phone calls, KT said.

KT has been stepping up efforts to develop AI services to get ahead of local rivals, including top mobile carrier SK Telecom Co.’s AI home assistant service, called NUGU, which was earlier adopted at Grand Walkerhill hotel in eastern Seoul.