[Edaily Reporter Han Kwangbeom ] LG Uplus(032640)LG Uplus has partnered with the wholesale and retail distributor “Sodo Mall” to develop AX (Artificial Intelligence Transformation) solutions tailored for small business owners. The initiative aims to boost the competitiveness of small business owners and revitalize local commercial districts amid the spread of generative AI and changes in the retail environment.

LG Uplus announced on the 22nd that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sodomall to support small business owners’ AX initiatives and strengthen their AI utilization capabilities. Sodomall is an online and offline distribution platform that supplies food and daily necessities at wholesale prices based on data from group-purchasing stores and distribution networks nationwide.

Through this agreement, the two companies have agreed to collaborate on: △ AX support, including in-store AI and telecommunications solutions; △ expanding sales channels for small business owners; and △ identifying new business opportunities to revitalize local commercial districts.

In particular, they plan to combine LG Uplus’s telecommunications and AI infrastructure with Sodomall’s online and offline distribution data to support customized demand forecasting for each business.

This will be achieved by integrating Sodomall’s regional product sales and group-buying data into the “Our Store Package”—LG Uplus’s communication and AX solution designed specifically for small business owners—and its commercial district analysis service. They will pilot a solution that identifies and analyzes product categories likely to experience a surge in demand based on specific regions or time periods. This will enable small business owners to efficiently plan product procurement and logistics operations while enhancing the competitiveness of their offerings.

The companies will also pursue the development of field-centric AX solutions. LG Uplus’s AI- and data-driven services will help streamline customer service and store operations, while Sodomol will contribute its expertise in operating distribution and group-buying platforms to ensure seamless implementation in real-world settings.

Lim Jang-hyuk, Head of the Enterprise Customer Group at LG Uplus (Executive Vice President), stated, “We will expand our collaboration to support the enhancement of small business owners’ competitiveness through AI and telecommunications technology and to provide differentiated customer experiences.” He added, “We will continue to expand AX services that reduce the operational burden on small business owners and foster tangible growth.”

Seo Deok-ho, CEO of Sodomall, remarked, “This business agreement marks a meaningful starting point for helping small business owners utilize AI and data in their actual business operations,” adding, “We will take the lead in building an AX ecosystem for small business owners by combining the strengths of both companies.”