Singapore, February 6, 2024 – In a strategic move to accelerate its AI capabilities and research initiatives, KakaoBank, the leading mobile bank in Korea, has partnered with Digital Realty, a major player in global data center solutions. The collaboration has led to the establishment of an AI lab at Digital Realty’s state-of-the-art ICN10 data center in Seoul, PR Newswire reports.
Turbocharging AI with Digital Realty Expertise
This partnership signifies KakaoBank’s commitment to staying at the forefront of technological innovation in the financial sector. The decision to establish an AI lab at ICN10 is not arbitrary; it’s a carefully calculated move to harness Digital Realty’s expertise in data center solutions and turbocharge KakaoBank’s AI capabilities.
ICN10: The VIP Suite for AI
Digital Realty’s ICN10 data center was selected for its reputation in providing a dedicated, high-performance, and resilient environment tailored to the demands of cutting-edge AI deployments. Let’s delve into why ICN10 is considered the VIP suite for AI:
High-Density Colocation Services
ICN10 boasts high-density colocation services capable of supporting up to 70 kilowatts (kW) per rack. This exceptional feature aligns seamlessly with the requirements of advanced AI workloads, including generative AI.
Innovative Air-Assisted Liquid Cooling (AALC) Technologies
Efficient heat dissipation is crucial for AI applications, especially those involving high-performance graphics processing unit (GPU) servers. ICN10’s innovative AALC technologies lay the groundwork for supporting these critical components, ensuring optimal performance.
Modular and Flexible Data Center Design
KakaoBank benefits from the speed of deployment facilitated by Digital Realty’s modular and flexible data center design. This flexibility allows KakaoBank to scale its AI operations at ICN10 as needed, providing agility in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Redundant Electrical and Mechanical Infrastructure
Reliability is a cornerstone in the financial services industry, and ICN10 reinforces this by featuring an N+1-designed redundant electrical and mechanical infrastructure. This design ensures uninterrupted operation, a critical requirement for KakaoBank’s AI initiatives.
Impressive Track Record
Digital Realty’s track record is impeccable, with an Uptime Institute’s Tier 3 rating for maintenance without interruption. As of 2023, ICN10 boasts an impressive 16 consecutive years of five-nines high availability, highlighting its reliability and stability.
Dedicated Access to AWS Direct Connect
ICN10 offers KakaoBank dedicated access to AWS Direct Connect, providing a low-latency, high-performance, secure, and cost-effective connectivity solution to the AWS Asia Pacific (Seoul) Region. This connectivity is essential for KakaoBank’s AI operations and collaborations.
Strategic Location in Digital Media City
ICN10 is strategically located in Seoul’s Digital Media City, offering a network-neutral environment. This location minimizes latency and provides connectivity options to domestic financial institutions across the country, giving KakaoBank a competitive edge.
KakaoBank’s Vision for AI
The establishment of the AI lab at ICN10 reflects KakaoBank’s vision to accelerate its research and development initiatives, with a specific focus on personalized content creation and enhancing its suite of financial services. Chief Research and Development Officer of KakaoBank, Hyun-chul Ahn, stated, “Through the opening of the AI center, we have created an environment to strengthen collaboration with the Kakao community, external academia, and companies. We plan to accelerate various AI-based businesses and research requiring complex operations, such as generative AI and language models, to gain more customers and continue to grow by enhancing our technological capabilities.”
Digital Realty’s Commitment to AI Innovation
Chris Han, the VP and Head of Korea at Digital Realty, recognizes Korea as an AI hotspot in the Asia Pacific. He said, “Digital Realty has extensive experience as an enabler for global AI enterprises. With this experience, we will spare no effort to support KakaoBank’s AI innovation in the financial sector.”
Eyes on KakaoBank’s AI Journey
As the AI journey kicks off, all eyes are on KakaoBank. This partnership with Digital Realty positions KakaoBank as a frontrunner in harnessing the power of AI to enhance its financial services and create innovative solutions for its customers. Stay tuned for the latest updates on KakaoBank’s AI endeavors as they continue to shape the future of the financial industry.
Table: Key Features of ICN10 Data Centre
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| High-Density Colocation Services | Supports up to 70 kilowatts (kW) per rack, ideal for advanced AI workloads. |
| Innovative Air-Assisted Liquid Cooling (AALC) Technologies | Efficient heat dissipation for high-performance GPU servers. |
| Modular and Flexible Data Center Design | Speed of deployment and scalability for KakaoBank’s AI operations. |
| Redundant Electrical and Mechanical Infrastructure | Ensures uninterrupted operation, critical for reliability. |
| Impressive Track Record | Uptime Institute’s Tier 3 rating and 16 consecutive years of high availability as of 2023. |
| Dedicated Access to AWS Direct Connect | Low-latency, high-performance connectivity to AWS Asia Pacific (Seoul) Region. |
| Strategic Location in Digital Media City | Minimizes latency and provides connectivity to domestic financial institutions. |
Bullet Points:
- KakaoBank partners with Digital Realty to establish an AI lab at ICN10 data center in Seoul.
- The collaboration aims to accelerate KakaoBank’s research in personalized content creation and financial services.
- ICN10 data center is chosen for its high-performance features, including high-density colocation services and innovative cooling technologies.
- The modular design of ICN10 allows for rapid deployment and scalability, meeting the demands of advanced AI workloads.
- Redundant infrastructure and a stellar track record ensure uninterrupted operation and reliability.
- ICN10 offers dedicated access to AWS Direct Connect, facilitating low-latency connectivity to AWS.
- Located in Digital Media City, ICN10 minimizes latency and provides connectivity options to domestic financial institutions.
- KakaoBank’s Chief Research and Development Officer, Hyun-chul Ahn, emphasizes collaboration with academia and companies to enhance technological capabilities.
- Chris Han, VP and Head of Korea at Digital Realty, commits to supporting KakaoBank’s AI innovation in the financial sector.
This strategic partnership between KakaoBank and Digital Realty sets the stage for groundbreaking advancements in AI-powered financial services. With a focus on innovation and collaboration, KakaoBank is poised to redefine the future of banking in Korea and beyond. Stay tuned for more developments as this dynamic partnership unfolds.
Featured Image Courtesy of The Asian Banker