SK Telecom said Wednesday its artificial intelligence-based senior care service has helped the 119 emergency system to rescue around 23 seniors living alone since its launch last year.

The company held an online press conference to promote its service dedicated to strengthen social security net for the elderly.

SKT’s senior care service uses its AI speaker Nugu which allows the elderly and those with mobility difficulties to access information with voice commands and contact others when needed. The care center also monitors user data to take timely action.

The service received a total of 328 distress calls since the firm launched it in May 2019. Of the total, 23 calls were sent to local 119 call centers to initiate rescue operations.

On average, seven out of 10 seniors use the AI speaker-based service every day, according to a survey conducted by Barun ICT Research Center on 670 seniors who use SKT’s service. Around 95 percent of the respondents said that they use it at least three times a week, the survey added.

The most frequently used feature was music streaming, followed by voice search and small talk. The research center noted these features could also help improve the mental health of seniors.

SKT’s AI-based care service is currently used by around 3,600 seniors’ houses. The company plans to install the service at 2,800 additional households in cooperation with local governments this year.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)