[New Year Message] Kakao CEO Shin-Ah Chung: "Human-Centered AI and Global Fandom Are New Growth Engines"

Realizing 'Next Finance' Through Web3 Infrastructure
"Proving the Pride and Social Responsibility of IT Companies"

"Last year was a period of consolidation, during which we strengthened our fundamentals, refined our systems, and concentrated the group’s capabilities around our core strengths. Now, it is time to shift gears from consolidation to 'growth,' fueled by this accumulated energy." (Shin-Ah Chung, CEO of Kakao)

Yonhap News

Kakao is set to enhance its group value by making artificial intelligence (AI) and global fandom its new growth engines. Kakao has identified two key pillars for driving growth in 2026: ▲ Human-centered AI and ▲ Global Fandom OS (Operating System).

The human-centered AI strategy is designed to maximize Kakao’s unique strength in understanding the context of the daily lives and relationships of its 50 million users. CEO Chung emphasized, "AI will evolve beyond simply executing commands, becoming agentic AI that first understands users’ intentions and situations and then connects to their next actions." To achieve this, Kakao plans to further advance on-device AI that protects personal information.

To enhance the execution of its AI strategy, Kakao will internalize business-to-consumer (B2C) services and core technologies, while flexibly expanding infrastructure that requires large-scale investment through external partnerships. This approach aims to secure both efficiency and scalability, ensuring sustainable growth.

The second pillar of growth is the 'Global Fandom OS,' which will extend Kakao’s reach worldwide. By combining the group’s super intellectual property (IP), platforms, and both online and offline interfaces-its 'full-stack assets'-Kakao aims to build a global fandom ecosystem where fans around the world can interact and create value.

Web3 will serve as the key infrastructure connecting these two growth pillars and expanding user value. Web3 will function as a trusted network, securely and transparently linking a wide range of activities, from AI agent reservations and payments to rewarding fan participation. Ultimately, this will lead to the realization of Kakao’s vision for 'Next Finance.'

Additionally, over the past two years, Kakao has undertaken intensive governance efficiency measures across the group. As a result, the number of affiliates was reduced from a peak of 147 to 94 by the end of last year. Kakao also achieved financial stability, recording all-time high results for two consecutive quarters in the second and third quarters of 2025.

CEO Chung urged, "Let us not rest on the formulas of past success, but use AI as a 'creative multiplier' to amplify our individual capabilities and ideas, boldly taking on challenges where 1+1 exceeds 2."

She added, "The growth we will achieve is not only about financial performance, but also about proving the pride and social responsibility of a Korean IT company. Let us overcome the waves of change and move toward greater heights and a broader world."