Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, and Cheong Shin-a, the CEO of KakaoTalk, announced a joint collaboration to develop AI-driven products in South Korea on Feb. 4. According to Altman, this collaboration aims to enhance the function of AI and messaging.
The collaboration specifically states that OpenAI’s technology will be included in KakaoTalk, the most popular messaging app in South Korea, to allow users to have more personalized experiences such as having ChatGPT crafting personalized responses. This strategy, though, does not simply revolve around improved communication experiences. Companies are also targeting the creation of a new Korean-language assistant supported by OpenAI.
“As someone who uses KakaoTalk regularly, I am excited to see what the new implications will be,” Kaden Lee (12), a frequent KakaoTalk user, said. “I look forward to improved efficiency and effective communication.”
The sudden attention on Asian countries from OpenAI may seem quite abrupt. However, this occurred only after OpenAI had to turn away from their initial plan, which was to expand in America.
The recent rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, achieved great performance even with significantly less development cost compared to OpenAI, breaking the conventional norm that AI development requires substantial investment. As OpenAI struggled to compete with DeepSeek, OpenAI shifted its focus to South Korea, primarily planning to apply ChatGPT to workplaces for increased productivity and flow.
“Every time I use ChatGPT, I always have to switch back and forth between KakaoTalk because they are not connected,” Julie Lee (11), said. “I’m looking forward to those two companies combining functions to make communication more simple.”
This particular collaboration aligns closely with Kakao’s previous vision to integrate AI in technology. “We are excited to bring AI to Kakao’s millions of users and work together to integrate our technology into services that transform how Kakao’s users communicate and connect,” Altman said. This collaboration marks an exciting change for Kakao users to experience a more convenient lifestyle.
