From Chatting on KakaoTalk to Making Purchases... The AI Ecosystem of Kakao Drawing Attention in the Distribution Industry

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hosts "2026 Spring Academic Conference of the Korean Distribution Science Association"

Kakao Outlines the Future Direction of Platform-Based Distribution Structures

Clear Shifts in Consumer Behavior in

We now live in an era where discovering products, comparing and exploring them, and completing purchases through the exchange of everyday messages has become a seamless experience.

At the "2026 Spring Academic Conference of the Korea Distribution Association," held recently at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, the focus was on changes in consumer behavior driven by inter-service connectivity. Kakao participated in a special session, presenting on the topic "Kakao DX (Digital Transformation)/AX (AI Transformation) Business Services and Their Role in the Distribution Ecosystem," and outlined the future direction of platform-based distribution structures.

Jihee Choi, Head of Policy Agenda at Kakao, is presenting at the Korea Distribution Science Association Spring Conference held on the 24th at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul. Provided by Kakao

Kakao has built a digital ecosystem centered around KakaoTalk, integrating communication, shopping, payments, content, and mobility. Users can encounter products through advertisements in KakaoTalk, then explore them via TokDeal or Gift, and proceed to payment in a single flow.

Jihee Choi, Head of Policy Agenda at Kakao and the presenter, explained, "Sellers who offer products on the Kakao platform, companies utilizing advertising solutions, creators, and small business owners can all precisely identify their target customers within this ecosystem, maximize marketing efficiency, and achieve tangible sales results."

In response, Yonggu Seo, Professor of Business Administration at Sookmyung Women's University, highlighted, "Kakao has 49 million users, with 94% of the population using the platform," emphasizing, "Kakao's role will be especially important in the future of the distribution industry."

Kakao also introduced its agentic artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, which is based on the company’s platform capabilities. In this system, AI understands the context of user conversations, proactively suggests needed information, and connects users to appropriate products and services, guiding actions. Representative examples include ChatGPT for Kakao and Kanana in KakaoTalk AI services. For instance, the AI agent service "Kakao Tools," which is applied to ChatGPT for Kakao, is integrated not only with in-house services such as KakaoMap and Gift but also with partner services like Musinsa and Olive Young.

A Kakao representative stated, "This presentation indicated that the center of distribution is shifting from individual channels to 'connected experiences,'" adding, "We plan to continue serving as a connector of key moments in users’ daily lives in the AI era."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.