[Conference Call] Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon: "No Negative Impact on Search Traffic from Generative AI Services"

Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon stated on May 9 that, according to the company's internal data, there has been no negative impact on search trends from generative artificial intelligence (AI) services so far, addressing concerns that the growth of generative AI services could adversely affect search services.

During a conference call held that morning, Choi was asked about claims that the launch of generative AI services is causing a decline in search traffic. She responded, "I believe generative AI services are affecting platforms where the proportion of non-commercial, informational searches is high," and provided this explanation.

Naver headquarters building exterior.

She added, "Rather than focusing on providing direct answers, Naver's search service aims to increase user satisfaction by offering a wealth of information for various exploratory searches, such as shopping or finding restaurants."

However, alongside the advancement of generative AI services, Naver is also focusing on delivering personalized search results. Choi stated, "As generative AI search continues to evolve, users' information consumption patterns will inevitably diversify. In such a scenario, we believe it is most important to provide content and information tailored to each user's fragmented interests and context."