Naver Introduces New Technologies Based on Artificial Intelligence

Naver is jumping into a warfare for AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies with personalized ‘living environment intelligence’ that is optimized for daily lives. Naver has introduced conversation system called ‘AMICA’ that is applied with AI and a web browser called ‘Whale’. It is going to introduce its first robot called ‘M1’ and push for R&D project for self-driving technologies. It is going to speed up process of development of technologies by establishing separate R&D groups in 2017 for future technologies such as robotics and self-driving technologies.

“We have materialized ‘Project Blue’ that was announced last year into a vision called ‘living environment intelligence’, which indicates a real life service that is more personalized according to situations.” said CTO Song Chang-hyeon of Naver at ‘DEVIEW 2016’, which is an event for developers, that was held at KOEX Grand Ballroom on the 24th. “We are starting to see visual results from research.”

Naver introduced AMICA, M1, and a self-driving system as results of its projects. AMICA is a conversation system centered on voice recognition and it helps devices to understand human languages and provides conversation-type interface that gives feedbacks. Results of researches on deep learning, voice recognition, and voice synthetization that were accumulated until now are applied to AMICA. Through partnership with Samsung Electronics, Naver applied AMICA to Samsung’s IoT platform called ARTIK and is trying variety of developments. Naver is also providing API for developers that allows devices and messengers to communicate with each other and is carrying out private beta-tests with South Korean start-up companies such as Yanolja and Baemin.

M1 is Naver’s first robot and it establishes highly-accurate 3D indoor maps by circling around. It also has a technology that recognizes current conditions and it will contribute in improving map services by making indoor space information-oriented.

Naver also introduced results of its self-driving technologies. Naver is currently researching on accurate object recognition and understanding of current situations by focusing on areas of recognition. While automotive manufacturers are focusing on car safety, Naver is strengthening object recognition that moves around complicated city environment through deep learning and technologies in vision. “We are going to carry out researches on self-driving technologies, which were carried out in small scale since last year for real-time recognition, manufacturing of maps with high accuracy, real-time recognition of traffic conditions, on full scale this year.” said CTO Song.

Hae-jin Lee, the chairman of Naver

Whale is a web browser that is developed by Naver. Its characteristic is that it is applied with all of technologies from ‘Papago’, which is a translation application that has artificial nerve network and machine learning. Even without using separate search sites, it is able search on its own. It is equipped with Smart Pop-up that gets rid of pop-ups and image translation technology and it also has a function that protects personal information and a function that protects sites from malwares and pharming sites. Naver is going to start beta-tests on the 1st of December.

Naver also announced that it will be incorporating separable groups for future technologies such as robotics and self-driving technologies within its R&D group called ‘Naver Labs’. These corporations will research living environment intelligence-based products and services based on robotics, self-driving technologies, and AR (Augmented Reality) technologies. Its plan is to speed up process of development of technologies through establishment of independents group while competitions for future technologies are getting fiercer and is going to establish these corporations in 2016 after going through approvals from its board of directors. CTO Song will serve as the CEO of new corporations and CTO of Naver at the same time.

“We are going to be more aggressive towards investments for technologies.” said Chairman Lee Hae-jin of Naver’s board of directors. “We are going to lead in developing South Korean developers.”