'K-Artificial Intelligence' Rises... Domestic AI Startups Target Global Markets

Overseas Expansion through Service Launch and Contracts with Local Companies

Photo by Getty Images Bank

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Cheol-hyun] Domestic artificial intelligence (AI) startups active in various industries are now actively targeting the global market.

ReturnZero, a voice recognition AI startup operating the visual call app 'VITO,' recently launched a Chinese version based on the voice recognition technology accumulated through domestic service operations. ReturnZero selected China as its first overseas market after comprehensively evaluating the size and growth potential of the voice recognition market. Following a localization strategy, ReturnZero named the Chinese version of VITO 'Sujibao' and registered the service on the Tencent App Market. VITO is a model that evolves more precisely as voice data accumulates, and with the official launch of services targeting users in the Chinese market of 1.4 billion people, it is expected to experience phased growth.

Medical AI solution company VUNO is expanding its global business by signing solution sales contracts with overseas companies. Last year, it signed a licensing contract for AI solutions in Japan with M3, a subsidiary of Sony, and earlier this year, it signed a general agency contract for four medical AI solutions with CHC Healthcare Group, a comprehensive medical company in Taiwan. Recently, VUNO's AI-based chest X-ray image reading assistance solution 'VUNO Med-Chest X-ray' received manufacturing and sales approval from the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration, which is expected to accelerate VUNO's entry into the Taiwanese medical market.

DeepBrain AI recently signed technology supply contracts for 'AI announcers' with two major Chinese broadcasters, Beijing Broadcasting and Qinghai Broadcasting. The AI announcers supplied to Chinese broadcasters apply 'AI Human' technology based on deep learning. When AI trained with actual announcers' video and voice data is presented, it delivers news with the same pronunciation, intonation, and gestures as the announcers.