AI Assistant Coming to KakaoTalk, Completing Transactions Automatically

*Editor's Note: 'AI PRISM' (Personalized Report & Insight Summarizing Media) is an "AI-based customized news recommendation and summarization service" developed with support from the Korea Press Foundation. It provides six curated news articles tailored to each reader type.

1. Kakao Sees AI Potential, Accelerates Shift to Agentic AI

- Key Summary: Kakao confirmed results from its agentic AI (a method in which AI autonomously performs tasks) service in the first quarter of this year and is accelerating a full-scale transition in the second half. During the first-quarter earnings conference call, Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a said, "ChatGPT for Kakao has surpassed 11 million cumulative subscribers," and announced that the company will unveil an agent service in the second half that completes everything from conversation to payment within KakaoTalk. Instead of a single large agent, Kakao adopted a structure in which a lightweight orchestrator collaborates with specialized agents, reducing token usage and processing time. Meanwhile, Kakao recorded first-quarter consolidated revenue of 1.9421 trillion won and operating profit of 211.4 billion won, up 11% and 66% year-on-year respectively, marking its largest-ever first-quarter results.

2. AI Designs, Semiconductor Production… Synthetic Biology Shakes Up DNA

- Key Summary: Synplogen, a synthetic biology (a technology that designs, combines, and manufactures the genes and cells of living organisms to implement desired functions) startup based in Kobe, Japan, is expanding collaboration with global companies based on its proprietary DNA synthesis technology 'OGAB™.' The 40-employee startup is drawing attention for its technical capability to handle even long and complex DNA blueprints that are difficult to produce with conventional methods. It also unveiled plans to build a low-cost, mass-production system in partnership with Belgian semiconductor research institute imec. Synplogen CEO Kazuhiko Yamamoto said, "In the AI era, the capability to implement diverse designs into actual materials becomes even more important," adding, "Lowering DNA synthesis costs will become an important asset for enhancing national competitiveness and supply chain stability."

3. Targeting 'Common Enemy' OpenAI… Musk and Anthropic Join Hands

- Key Summary: Anthropic, the developer of the AI model Claude, has agreed to lease computing capacity at 'Colossus 1,' the Memphis, Tennessee data center operated by Elon Musk's xAI. Anthropic has secured 300 MW of computing capacity, including more than 220,000 Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs), and has used this to double the paid user limit for 'Claude Code,' its coding tool in high demand among enterprises. This collaboration is the result of aligned interests, with SpaceX gaining rental revenue and Anthropic stabilizing its services, allowing Anthropic to accelerate service competition with OpenAI ahead of its year-end listing. Meanwhile, Anthropic has previously been criticized for limiting user consumption due to computing resource shortages, unlike OpenAI.

4. AI Data Center Special Act Passes National Assembly, Dramatically Shortening Permit Procedures

- Key Summary: A special act to build AI Data Center (AIDC) infrastructure passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 7th, with implementation scheduled for February next year. The core of the special act is the conversion of permit procedures previously scattered across multiple agencies into a single-window process through the Ministry of Science and ICT, along with the introduction of a 'timeout system' under which applications are deemed approved if not processed within a certain period. The act also includes provisions exempting power grid impact assessments when newly constructing or expanding AIDCs below a certain scale in non-metropolitan areas, or when converting existing data centers. Bae Kyung-hoon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT, said, "A key foundation has been laid to accelerate the construction of an AI highway through expanded corporate AIDC investment and the attraction of large-scale foreign investment."

5. ServiceNow CTO: "Mythos Shock Will Grow Larger If China Replicates It"

- Key Summary: Pat Casey, chief technology officer at ServiceNow, a workflow efficiency software company, warned that if China replicates Anthropic's AI model Mythos and releases it as open source, cyber hacking threats could spread across entire industries. In an interview with Seoul Economic Daily, CTO Casey said, "Six months from now, China could release the code as open source, and if that happens, problems will spread quickly across industries." Anthropic provided Mythos previews only to select government agencies and major banks, due to concerns that its unprecedented security capabilities could be exploited for hacking. Kevin Hassett, chairman of the White House National Economic Council (NEC), also announced a review of an executive order to establish a new AI model verification system, signaling that the U.S. government's response is gaining momentum.

6. "Operating Different Manufacturers in One Place"… LG CNS Unveils Robot Platform

- Key Summary: LG CNS (064400) unveiled 'PhysicalWorks,' a robot transformation (RX) platform that integrates the entire process from robot deployment to operation. This is the first time a Korean company has launched an end-to-end (covering the entire process from start to finish) platform from robot training to operation under its own brand. PhysicalWorks consists of two platforms: 'Forge,' which handles robot training and verification, and 'Baton,' which integrates control and monitoring of robots from various manufacturers. When Baton is applied, productivity is expected to improve by more than 15% and operating costs to decrease by up to 18% in a 100-unit operating environment. LG CNS also explained that the time required to train robots and deploy them on-site can be shortened from several months to one or two months.