Kakao plans KakaoTalk platform split into new company

Kakao plans to place its KakaoTalk-based platform business in a new company tentatively named KakaoAI on Jan. 1 as it is one of six applicants for the government's Everyone's AI project.

The Ministry of Science and ICT says six consortium proposals, including one from Kakao, were submitted for Everyone's AI. It plans to select a business operator by the end of the month and open Everyone's AI within the year.

Under the planned split, the surviving company, tentatively KakaoX, will cover Kakao's core techfin, content and mobility businesses and invest in innovative companies. The new entity, tentatively KakaoAI, will take the KakaoTalk-based platform business.

"Competitiveness in the agentic AI era is not just about making good models, but about understanding users' context and intent and connecting them to real action," Kakao Chief Executive Jeong Shin-a said, adding that Kakao wants to use KakaoTalk's daily user touchpoint and its technology and service ecosystem to make individual AI agents a natural tool for all citizens.

Kakao plans to introduce agentic AI experiences in stages through KakaoTalk, connecting orders, reservations and payments. It also plans to expand the ecosystem with partners in commerce, reservations, travel and payments, alongside the open platform PlayMCP.