Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a delivering her keynote speech at the company's annual developers conference dubbed "if kakaoAI 2024" in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, on Oct 22. - Kakao
SEOUL: Always wanted to be friends with a K-pop idol? South Korean information technology giant Kakao is bringing users one step closer to that dream with the introduction of a new artificial intelligence (AI) service.
On Oct 22, the company behind messaging app KakaoTalk unveiled Kanana at the annual developers conference dubbed “if kakaoAI 2024”.
“Kakao’s key competitive advantage lies in connecting relationships... We aim to offer hyper-personalised AI services that consider individuals’ context and emotions in various relationships and conversations,” said Kakao chief executive Chung Shin-a during a keynote speech.
Chung said Kakao aims to make Kanana not just a conversational AI service, but also a user’s closest friend.
To achieve this, the company created two AI characters – Nana and Kana – and referred to them as “AI mates”.
Chung explained that these provide responses to users’ questions by remembering key information within the context of conversations on the Kanana service.
Nana remembers both conversations with users themselves and within group chats, providing a personalised experience. For example, it remembers conference schedules and materials discussed in group chats and sends personal messages to ensure users do not forget.
It also understands documents in various formats, allowing for summaries and discussions.
Kana operates solely based on group chats. It can quiz users on papers read together in study group chats, provide scoring and offer additional explanations.
In a conversation between couples, it can propose date schedules or locations through a whisper function. Rather than giving the same results to everyone, it offers suggestions tailored to the user’s context.
Users can also enable a function that allows texts from Nana and Kana to be voiced by K-pop idols signed to Kakao Entertainment, reported South Korean newspaper Korea JoongAng Daily.
During a demonstration by Chung at the conference, the voice of Jang Won-young – a member of K-pop girl group Ive – rang out: “Thank you for visiting the AI campus even on this rainy day.”
Lee Sang-ho, head of Kanana X, said: “Just as KakaoTalk became a widely used and convenient service in the mobile era, we hope that Kanana will establish itself as the most accessible and useful service in the era of generative AI”
Kanana will include a hands-free mode, allowing users to check messages and respond to conversations using voice commands, especially in situations like driving a vehicle.
Kakao said it plans to release a test version of Kanana within the company by the end of 2024, before its official launch to the public.
Meanwhile, the company said that about half of the 94 sessions prepared for 2024’s conference will focus on AI technology.
On the second day, Kakao chief technology officer Jung Gue-don and head of Kanana Alpha Kim Byung-hak will deliver their keynote speeches, while Ty McKercher, vice-president of worldwide developer relations at Nvidia, will present the company’s partnership in Kakao’s Kanana service.
On the final day, chief technology officers from Kakao and its affiliates will gather for a panel discussion to introduce their respective AI technologies and share their insights, the company said. - The Straits Times/The Korea Herald/ANN
