From Summarization to Conversation: Naver and Daum Begin AI Search Competition

As major domestic portals such as Naver and Daum apply artificial intelligence (AI) to their search results, competition in the AI search market has intensified.

According to Naver on July 1, answers from Naver Knowledge iN users selected as "Naver Mates" have been cited approximately 60 million times in AI briefings over the past month. Naver Mate is Naver's program supporting outstanding content creators, awarding selected users a support fund of 300,000 won. The structure allows creators to receive rewards if their content is frequently cited in AI briefings, which summarize search results using AI.

An example where an answer from Naver Knowledge iN was cited in an AI briefing. Naver

Answers to lifestyle-oriented questions, such as study methods for specific subjects, instructions for using IT devices, and career concerns, were most frequently cited in AI briefings. Additionally, expert answers on topics like law, health, and taxation also appeared in AI briefings. Since Naver's Knowledge iN service began in 2002, the accumulated volume of knowledge is vast.

A Naver representative explained, "Knowledge iN has accumulated questions that users genuinely wondered about and the experiences, knowledge, and interpretations offered by those who answered them over a long period, as well as reliable responses from experts."

On June 26, Naver officially launched the "AI Tab," which allows users to search for information through conversations with AI.

AI Summary Search Results Below. Next Capture

Daum Also Introduces AI-Based Search Features

AXZ, which operates the Daum portal site, is also introducing AI-based search features such as AI Overview and AI Mode. In this process, it utilizes "Solar," the AI model developed by Upstage. Upstage acquired AXZ from Kakao in May this year.

As of July 1, Daum has officially launched and is providing the "AI Overview" feature, which summarizes and organizes search results using AI. When a user enters a keyword in the Daum search bar, it offers a core summary along with supporting evidence, and if the content changes, the AI automatically updates the information to ensure users see the latest data. For searches where procedures are important, the results are displayed as step-by-step lists; for searches requiring comparison, results are shown in tables, improving readability.

Daum aims to differentiate itself from competing portals like Naver and Google—which already offer similar services—by providing specialized search features for areas such as shopping, restaurants, travel, and real estate. The plan is to combine Daum's own data with the capabilities of the Solar model to deliver more reliable answers. Within this year, Daum also plans to launch "AI Mode," which will fully replace its integrated search service with conversational AI. AI agents will also be introduced to Daum's proprietary services, such as Daum News and Tistory (blog).

EastAid, which operates the portal site "Zum," has also adopted the LG AI Research Institute's AI model "K-EXAONE" for its AI search service. Specifically, it has integrated its proprietary search engine with K-EXAONE for features such as "AI 1-Second Summary" and "AI Issue Trends." The search engine and K-EXAONE divide the tasks of reflecting the latest information and cross-verifying data, which reportedly reduces hallucination phenomena. EastAid is a participant in the LG AI Research Institute consortium that is launching its own AI foundation model project.

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