Naver has set the destination of its service combining search engines and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies as 'integrated agent.' This is a specific development roadmap presented in response to the situation where companies like Google and Microsoft (MS) are enhancing search capabilities based on AI.
On the 12th, Naver held a press conference at Naver D2SF in Gangnam, Seoul, themed 'search in the AI era,' and announced plans to evolve its current integrated search into an 'integrated agent.' The aim is to provide a seamless AI search experience by bundling specialized services within Naver, including content, information, shopping, local services, and finance. These features will be available in a space tentatively named 'AI tab,' which is set to be launched next year.
◇ 'Recognizing ChatGPT as a search service... responding to changes in the market'
Naver pointed to the change in user perception of search following the emergence of conversational AIs like ChatGPT and Pervacity as the background for this shift. According to a survey by Open Survey, 50.9% of 1,000 respondents reported having used ChatGPT for 'search' purposes. Among them, 14.4% stated they frequently use ChatGPT for search purposes. Notably, 35.3% cited generative AI as the service they use most often for 'searching for everyday information.'
Kim Sang-beom, leader of Naver's search platform, said, "Perception of 'search functions' is changing, such as recognizing ChatGPT as a search service," and noted, "Naver plans to adapt its services in line with the expanding changes in the market."
Naver conceived the 'integrated agent' based on the usage data from its experimental AI search service. Since the appearance of OpenAI's ChatGPT in November 2022, Naver has consistently pursued the integration of search and generative AI. In August 2023, it released its own AI, 'HyperCLOVA X,' and introduced the AI search Cue: in September of the same year. In March of this year, it added the 'AI briefing,' which summarizes search results, to integrated search. Cue: was operated on a limited basis in PC environments for select applicants, while the AI briefing is exposed to all users regardless of device.
Leader Kim Sang-beom remarked, "It is confirmed that queries inputted into Naver are gradually becoming more diverse since the emergence of generative AI services," and said, "The increase in longer sentences as queries is being observed, thus we aim to prepare services accordingly."
◇ AI briefing to expand search result exposure to 20% within the year
Naver plans to increase the exposure of the AI briefing before establishing the 'AI tab.' Currently, the AI briefing is only exposed in about 3% of search results, but this will be expanded to 20% within the year. Kim Jae-yeop, leader of Naver's search platform, stated, "The click-through rate for the 'more' button provided at the bottom of the AI briefing has increased by 50% compared to its initial release, and the click-through rate for related questions has increased 3.4 times compared to the existing search keyword recommendation area," adding, "The click-through rate (CTR) of the AI briefing area has increased by 8 percentage points compared to existing answer-type content, and the time spent in the top area before and after the launch of the AI briefing has increased by 22%, respectively."
Naver also plans to broaden the scope of the AI briefing area to include various topics such as finance and healthcare. Plans are also in place to expand service types like 'multilingual support,' including translation and summarization of foreign documents, and 'multimedia integration,' such as key summarization of long videos.
To achieve this, Naver will also strengthen its investment in search infrastructure. Leader Kim Sang-beom stated, "We will build a diversified lineup of large language models (LLM) suitable for each area, such as query analysis, summarization, and document analysis," adding, "We plan to enhance search quality through investments necessary for securing content required for AI search."
The AI tab, which is currently under development with a target launch next year, will be displayed in a separate page format within integrated search. It is expected to implement services that naturally connect relevant services like reservations, purchases, and payments by accurately identifying user needs through continuous conversation between AI and users. For example, if a user requests, 'Recommend places to visit in Jeju Island with a 5-year-old child,' the AI will suggest various locations considering the context. If the user chooses a recommended place and further requests to set up a travel route, a service that organizes the route on Naver Maps will also become possible.
Naver has also revealed some internal projects designed to respond to the concerns of creators active on its blog and café with the introduction of the 'integrated agent.' The 'AI Highlight Project' (tentative name) includes various methods for 'activating creators,' such as emphasizing creator content quoted in the AI briefing with badges to induce content engagement, introducing sources optimized for AI search, and creating an intuitive user experience (UX) that allows for immediate subscriptions, neighborhood connections, and paid subscriptions.
Leader Kim Jae-yeop said, "Naver has protected the search market through an unparalleled search model called integrated search, based on the deepest insights into domestic users, and in AI search, we will introduce an integrated agent capable of providing a seamless search experience while specializing vertical agents."