Naver Launches Small Business Support Program 'AI RIDE'

Naver is helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increase productivity by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

On the 1st, Naver announced the launch of the SME support program ‘AI RIDE.’ ‘AI RIDE’ is a program designed to help SMEs and various partners improve their understanding and utilization of the technologies and solutions provided through Naver.

As the first step of 'AI RIDE,' Naver supports Smart Store sellers to experience AI-specialized solutions within the Commerce Solution Market for free. Through 'AI RIDE,' Naver plans to enhance the 'Project Kkot' support to lower the entry barriers for technology solutions.

'AI RIDE' is a program planned through direct meetings and impact discussions between 'Kkot Ambassadors,' who are Naver employees, and business operators. Since it is designed reflecting the needs of SMEs and voices from the business field, it is expected to provide practical help in improving technological literacy.

The solutions supported through this ‘AI RIDE’ are six AI and automation solutions that contribute to work efficiency within the Commerce Solution Market. These include three Clova MD solutions developed by Naver that recommend and display products tailored to customers' intentions and preferences, as well as three solutions developed by external startups that help improve work efficiency (▲Review Exposure AI Manager ▲VCAT.AI ▲Maemopan Lite). Sellers can choose one solution from each area?Clova product recommendation solutions and work efficiency solutions?to experience and learn how to use them.

‘AI RIDE’ will recruit interested sellers for two weeks until November 13, selecting about 600 Smart Stores through a lottery. The ‘AI RIDE’ program is scheduled to run from December through February of next year.

Shin Ji-man, leader of the Naver Project Kkot Secretariat, said, “As accessibility to AI technology solutions improves through AI RIDE, an environment where more sellers can use these solutions will be created, leading to a virtuous cycle where high-quality and diverse internal and external solutions gather again in the Commerce Solution Market.” He added, “Through ‘AI RIDE,’ we will expand Project Kkot to enable SMEs and creators to easily access various technology solutions provided by Naver.”