Channel eyes global expansion with AI-powered customer service app

Channel’s Chief Executive Officer Choi Si-won and Chan Park , Director of Atinum Investment

South Korean startup Channel Corp., renowned for its business messenger Channel Talk, plans to expand beyond the domestic market into Japan and the United States.

“Our goal is to validate our technology in Korea, achieve profitability in the larger Japanese market, and ultimately succeed in the U.S.,” said Channel’s Chief Executive Officer Choi Si-won, during an interview with Maeil Business Newspaper.

Established in 2014, Channel has gained recognition particularly among businesses and corporate employees through its flagship product Channel Talk.

The business messenger integrates chatbot consultations, customer management marketing, and text messaging functionalities into a unified platform. It is currently used by 160,000 companies across 22 countries worldwide.

The Japanese market alone contributes 25 percent to the company‘s entire revenue.

“This year, we launched an AI agent designed to handle simple customer inquiries using AI technology, and we intend to actively pursue global opportunities with this,” Choi said.

The company has already conducted a closed beta test of the AI service with fashion brands, resulting in a 30-45 percent reduction in customer inquiries handled by human agents.

Despite recording an operating loss of 9.9 billion won ($710 million) last year, Choi remains undaunted.

“We could have cut costs by reducing headcount, but now is the time to invest in research and development (R&D),” Choi said. “Our primary focus is to dominate the enterprise AI consultation service market, aiming for profitability next year.”

Currently, about half of the company’s 200 employees are dedicated to R&D efforts, underscoring its strong commitment to R&D.

To date, Channel has secured 40 billion won in investments from venture capitals (VCs) and other investors, including Atinum Investment Co.