
Kakao AI Sail held the 'Kakao AI Sail Summit 26' in Busan, attended by about 800 local AI talents, entrepreneurs, and developers, sharing AI technology by affiliate and presenting a blueprint for a virtuous cycle of the local AI ecosystem.
AI-generated summary
Kakao AI Sail is Kakao's promotional organization for nurturing artificial intelligence talent and businesses, and operates various education and support programs with the goal of revitalizing the local AI ecosystem.
800 people attended AI Sail Summit... From talent training to entrepreneurship and commercialization
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Oh Ji-eun = Kakao AI Sail, Kakao [035720]'s artificial intelligence (AI) talent and company development promotion organization, announced on the 1st that it held a technology conference 'Kakao AI Sail Summit 26' at the Busan Port International Exhibition and Convention Center (BPEX) on the 29th of last month.
About 800 people, including local AI talents, entrepreneurs, and developers, attended this event, which was held under the theme of ‘Toward the Future, a Voyage of Possibilities’.
At the event, major group companies, including Kakao, Kakao Mobility, Kakao Bank [323410], Kakao Pay [377300], and Kakao Pay Non-life Insurance, shared AI technology and AI conversion (AX) know-how accumulated in each business field.
Kakao Mobility presented the direction of future mobility services through autonomous driving technology, and Kakao Bank, Kakao Pay, and Kakao Pay Non-life Insurance introduced AI dataset construction, AI-based financial coaching, and AI insurance screening redesign results, respectively.
Kim Young-deok, head of Kakao's AI Sails Center, who gave a keynote speech, unveiled a blueprint for a virtuous cycle of the local AI ecosystem that leads to 'nurturing talent → entrepreneurship and commercialization → connecting and expanding the local ecosystem.'
Kakao plans to nurture talent through Kakao AI Rookie Camp, an educational program for youth and college students, and support development infrastructure such as graphics processing units (GPUs) and AI models through the AI growth platform.
In addition, we plan to link the hackathon Ralphthon with the start-up team discovery program 'Departure', and expand the network by utilizing the Busan AI base, which we aim to establish within the year.
Center Director Kim Young-deok said, "By connecting local talent, companies, and experts, we will create a virtuous cycle where problem-solving experience leads to startups and growing companies create regional innovation."
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The local AI ecosystem will expand through the creation of a Busan AI hub.
Likely · Within months
Talent production will increase through Kakao AI Rookie Camp and AI Growth Platform.
Likely · Within months

Panasonic has begun research on AI models with the goal of producing humanoid robots by 2029, and Hitachi Works has partnered with Fanuc in the field of physical AI to demonstrate work precision. Japanese small and medium-sized businesses are also expanding their use of robots.

Bloomberg reported that Apple plans to unveil the Home Hub on the 13th. The 6-inch display Home Hub is equipped with Siri AI and is released in two versions: wall-mounted and tabletop. HomePod Mini and Apple TV set-top box are also updated.

Samsung Electronics unveiled new products on the 1st, including the premium tablet Galaxy Tab S12 series, clip-type wireless earphones Galaxy Buds On, and loss prevention device Galaxy Smart Tag 3. The Tab S12 series features a battery of up to 23 hours, the first Android tablet to be equipped with Adobe Photoshop, and a Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, while the Buds On has a clip-type design that does not block the ears, providing convenience for long-term wearing and awareness of surrounding situations. Smart Tag 3 has a lighter design, iOS support, and faster location updates than its predecessor.

SK AX launched ‘AI Boot Camp Vibe,’ an educational program that allows users to develop AI agents using the ‘Vibe Coding’ method, where AI writes code by explaining functions in natural language without any coding knowledge. It will be held online for four weeks, focusing on improving the AI utilization capabilities of non-development occupations, and designing and developing agents based on actual work tasks. AI mentors provide guidance through chat, and practice and evaluation are also operated based on AI.

The Ministry of Science and ICT held the '2026 AI·XR Service Developer Contest' awards ceremony at the Virtual Convergence Industry Hub in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 30th. A total of 497 teams participated, and 32 teams received awards.

Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon proposed using AI services like Naver Works and Papago Plus to enhance communication across the UN Global Compact's global network during a board meeting at UN Headquarters in New York.