Kakao set to roll out ChatGPT-powered KakaoTalk this month

Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a (left) and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pose for a photo during a press conference at a Seoul hotel in February. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)

Kakao is gearing up to integrate OpenAI’s generative artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT into its flagship messaging platform KakaoTalk, according to industry sources Friday.

The integration marks a major step in Kakao’s broader effort to enhance user engagement by integrating AI-driven functionalities directly into its daily communication tools.

Once implemented, users will be able to access ChatGPT-powered conversations within the “Chat” tab of the KakaoTalk interface without needing to navigate away from the app.

The upcoming feature is designed to provide users with a seamless transition between chatting with friends and interacting with AI.

A dedicated ChatGPT icon is expected to appear within the message input screen, allowing users to initiate conversations with the chatbot as naturally as they would with a human contact.

Sources said that Kakao is also exploring the potential of integrating ChatGPT into the app’s built-in search feature, further expanding the utility of AI across its ecosystem.

This AI-centric upgrade comes on the heels of comments made by Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a during the company’s second-quarter earnings call in August, where she hinted at a “comprehensive overhaul” of the KakaoTalk platform — with AI playing a pivotal role in the transformation.

“Even users who have never interacted with AI services before are likely to become curious and engage when they see ChatGPT-generated responses shared within group chats or appear organically in conversations,” Chung said during the call.

The official unveiling of the Kakao-OpenAI collaboration is expected to take place during the company’s annual developer event, “If(Kakao) 2025,” scheduled for Sept. 23.

Industry watchers anticipate that Kakao will offer a first public look at how ChatGPT will be embedded into KakaoTalk’s interface and functionality.

Kakao’s partnership with OpenAI was first announced in February, signaling a strategic alignment between one of Korea’s most widely used mobile apps and one of the world’s leading AI research companies.

Since then, the two firms have reportedly been co-developing a user experience optimized for mobile messaging, balancing the nuance of human interaction with the computational power of AI.

A Kakao official confirmed that the company aims to showcase the co-developed features in time for its third-quarter earnings release.

“The final implementation plan is still under review,” the official said. “But we’re committed to making AI assistance an intuitive part of the KakaoTalk experience."