[E-Daily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] The “touch” interface, which has dominated the smartphone era for over a decade, is rapidly shifting its focus to “voice” as we enter the age of artificial intelligence (AI). This shift comes as generative AI evolves beyond simply answering questions to become “Agent AI” that executes various services on behalf of users.

Going forward, instead of manually searching for and launching apps, users will enter a new era where a single voice command—such as “Call me a taxi,” “Reserve a conference room,” or “Find my receipt and email it to me”—will prompt AI to navigate various apps and services to handle tasks on their behalf. In particular, as AI devices like humanoid robots and smart glasses—which make it difficult to view or touch a screen—become more widespread, voice is establishing itself as the most natural and efficient interface.

The industry believes that while competitiveness in the mobile era hinged on the size of an app ecosystem’s user base, in the AI era, the ability to accurately understand human intent and translate it into action will determine a platform’s competitiveness.

How Apple Is Changing the Way We Use AI… “AI Does the Work Instead of Apps”

Global Big Tech companies are already accelerating the race for voice interfaces.

Apple is a prime example. In iOS 27, set to launch this September, Apple plans to evolve Siri from a simple voice assistant into an AI agent that performs actual tasks by moving across multiple apps.

For example, if a user says, “Find my receipt and send it to me via email,” the AI will locate the photo, launch the Mail app, and complete the process by attaching the file and sending the email. It is also reported that a feature will be added to select the most suitable AI by integrating with external AI models, such as ChatGPT, as needed. This effectively brings “executable AI” to life—where AI connects various apps and services to handle tasks on the user’s behalf, rather than the user launching an app and then using AI.

This is seen as a signal that the leadership in the smartphone ecosystem is shifting from “apps” to “AI.” Whereas users previously decided which apps to use, the structure will now change so that AI independently selects and executes the most suitable services and apps.

This shift is also evident in next-generation AI devices such as humanoid robots, self-driving cars, and smart glasses. A product’s competitiveness is expected to hinge on how accurately it understands natural language commands—such as “Bring me a cup,” “Clear the table,” or “Summarize the meeting”—and translates them into action.

Professor Choi Un-ho of Sogang University said, “It is highly likely that voice will ultimately become the common interface spanning the era of AI agents and physical AI.”

“Voice-First” Competition Heats Up in Korea… Spreading from Telecommunications to Lifestyle Services

Korean companies are also expanding their investments, viewing voice interfaces as the core of next-generation AI services.

LG Uplus(032640)LG Uplus is the most proactive. Hong Beom-sik, CEO of LG Uplus, stated in his keynote speech at MWC 2026 this year, “In the AI era, voice will once again become the most fundamental means of connecting people.” LG Uplus is upgrading its AI call service, “Exio,” into an AI agent that understands the user’s situation and context.

Kakao Mobility is also exploring a voice-activated ride-hailing service. The system works by having users press a button and say, “Please take me to Gangnam Station”; the AI then uses GPS and voice recognition to determine the user’s current location and destination before completing the ride request. It is expected to be particularly useful in situations where screen operation is difficult, such as while driving, for intoxicated individuals, or for the elderly. Some observers describe this as a new user experience that brings the convenience of traditional phone-based designated driver services into an AI-based app.

ktis Corporation(058860)is pursuing plans to expand 114 into an AI-based lifestyle platform. When seniors who are not familiar with smartphones call 114, an operator will handle tasks on their behalf, such as calling a taxi, making hospital appointments, and arranging home appliance repairs. Going forward, the company plans to expand lifestyle convenience features by integrating AI and is also considering a senior care service where, if a child purchases a coupon using KTCorporation membership points, a 114 customer service representative will make regular check-in calls to the parent. The strategy is to differentiate itself by offering lifestyle-oriented services that combine the efficiency of AI with human consultation.

“Order me some milk”… In the Age of AI Voice, Accuracy and Trust Are Key to Success

The retail industry is also eyeing “voice commerce”—where product searches and payments are completed with just a voice command like “Order

me some milk

”—as a new market. Voice interfaces are establishing themselves as a core technology that connects various devices—beyond smartphones to include cars, home appliances, and robots—into a single AI platform.

However, there are still significant challenges to overcome. High voice recognition accuracy must be maintained despite individual differences in speech patterns and dialects, as well as in noisy environments, and issues regarding voice data leaks and personal information protection must be addressed. It is also essential to establish safeguards against the possibility of AI executing incorrect commands or handling sensitive tasks without user authentication.

An industry insider stated, “Just as touch interfaces determined platform competitiveness in the mobile era, voice will determine platform competitiveness in the era of Agent AI,” adding, “Competition in voice interfaces will go beyond competition in AI models to become a new battleground that determines leadership in operating systems (OS), platforms, and services.”