[AI Revolution](202) Transforming Companies into AI Natives... Cleave, the Company That Changes Companies

Ahn Chanbong: "Tailored AX Services for the Financial Sector"

From Data Refinement to Custom Model Development

Compliance with Security Regulations Through On-Premises Models

"While working, there will be moments when you wonder, 'Is this really the right way to use artificial intelligence (AI)?' If you are questioning whether AI can fundamentally transform your company, Cleave will be the partner to help you find the answer."

On June 2, Ahn Chanbong, CEO of Cleave, shared his vision in an interview with The Asia Business Daily, stating, "We are committed to supporting AI transformation (AX) so that AI can naturally blend into corporate operations and be fully utilized."

Chanbong Ahn, CEO of Cleve, is giving an interview to The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Dongjoo Yoon

Cleave specializes in AI and data solutions, offering consulting, custom model development, and data training to support AX for its clients. The company builds tailored AI systems by training large language models (LLMs) with internal corporate data and work processes. This involves aggregating scattered internal data and refining it so that the AI can learn and analyze it more efficiently. The result is a high-performance, customized AI solution built exclusively for each client.

Ahn explained, "Looking at the recent status of AI adoption among companies, it seems that many are seeking cheap results from this expensive tool," adding, "We are presenting ways to leverage AI that can truly transform a company from the ground up."

Cleave primarily targets clients in the financial sector, including securities firms and banks. Although AX is a key topic in the financial industry, the need to handle sensitive financial data means adhering to stringent security requirements. High-level security measures—such as network separation—are essential, which creates the challenge that AI models installed on external networks cannot be utilized.

Cleave addresses this by building dedicated corporate AI models on isolated financial institution networks (on-premises). These models are fine-tuned with corporate data for specific AI applications and operate exclusively within closed networks, greatly reducing concerns over information leaks. According to Ahn, several founding members previously worked at Toss, providing strong expertise in the financial sector, and the company also employs data scientists, reinforcing its strength in data processing. "We are focused on platforms that enable effective AI use even in network-separated environments," Ahn said, "and we are building real platforms by incorporating domain expertise into AI-driven applications."

There are already cases where financial institutions have significantly improved work efficiency by introducing AI through Cleave. In fact, inquiries from major securities firms regarding Cleave's solutions are increasing. "Projects that would have required around 50 people and taken three years to complete have been finished in just five to six months with only five people after adopting Cleave," Ahn emphasized, "We are supporting clients in preparing their internal environments for AI adoption."

Cleave uses proven open-source AI models to build its services. In addition to leveraging global open-source models such as Gemma (Google) and GPT-OSS (OpenAI), the company has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with domestic firms like Naver Cloud and Upstage, utilizing their models as well.

Ahn added, "We want to become a company that sets the standard for AX," and emphasized, "Our goal is to become a 'company that transforms companies' by helping organizations become AI-native."

Ahn Chanbong, CEO of Cleave, is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

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