Naver showcased its latest artificial intelligence (AI) roadmap during its integrated conference ‘DAN 25’ held on November 6 at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The tech giant announced a major shift in focus from being a platform primarily centered on search and shopping to evolving into a full-fledged AI-driven company. The plan includes deploying personalized AI assistants for individual users and accelerating AI adoption in the business-to-business (B2B) space.
A key highlight of the event was the introduction of ‘Agent N,’ Naver’s new AI agent service. Unlike conventional chatbots, this AI system is designed to go beyond providing answers, it can observe user behavior, gather relevant data, and autonomously perform tasks it determines beneficial to the user. The company will first integrate a shopping version of this AI into ‘Naver Plus Store’ during the first quarter of next year. Later, in the second quarter, Naver will introduce an ‘AI Tab’ that embeds AI agents into its unified search platform.
According to Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, users will no longer need to think about specific search keywords. “People will simply interact with ‘Agent N,’” she explained. “The AI will interpret their intent and connect them directly to customized content, products, and services.”
The company highlighted that Agent N was built using data and technical resources drawn from across Naver’s extensive ecosystem. Kim Beom-jun, Naver’s Chief Operating Officer and head of the Agent N project, noted that the system is supported by a highly reliable data foundation. “For the shopping agent, we integrated verified purchase reviews, real-time inventory linked directly to sellers, and a robust verification mechanism,” he said. “Much like a helpful store clerk, Agent N will guide users smoothly from product search to recommendations and final purchases.”
Beyond consumer applications, Naver aims to accelerate AI transformation (AX) in major industrial sectors. Kim Yu-won, CEO of Naver Cloud, which was named a ‘National Representative AI’ company in August, emphasized the strategic importance of AI. “AI is no longer optional—it’s an essential infrastructure that defines a nation’s industrial competitiveness,” he said. “Leveraging our understanding of Korean language, data, and industrial systems, we are developing vertical AI models under our ‘Sovereign AI 2.0’ initiative.”
He added that Naver is collaborating with leading players in shipbuilding, energy, and biotechnology, with plans to expand these AI-driven manufacturing solutions globally to markets including Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Japan.
To support this growth, Naver will invest over 1 trillion Korean won in graphics processing units (GPUs) by 2026, aiming to build the most extensive and advanced AI infrastructure in South Korea.
