Kakao will build a public-facing artificial intelligence (AI) service based on KakaoTalk and telephone access together with 14 companies and institutions including LG Uplus.

Kakao said on Aug. 28 that a consortium it leads was finally selected as the operator of the Ministry of Science and ICT project, "Support for universal use of AI services for all citizens (AI for Everyone)".

The consortium includes LG Uplus as a key participant, as well as LG AI Research, LG Electronics, LG CNS, Kakao Enterprise, Seoul National University Hospital, Shinhan Bank, Lunit, Wonderful Platform, Workspia, Jarvis & Villains, Day1 Company, CrowdWorks and FuriosaAI.

Participants will combine their own AI models with telecommunications and device infrastructure and technology linking to public systems. The service will also use expertise across areas including healthcare, finance, tax, education, employment, care, data and semiconductors.

AI for Everyone will use KakaoTalk and telephone AI as its main points of access. The service will consist of a general-purpose AI chatbot, a public AI agent and specialised AI agents by field. It will connect functions so users can move from searching for information to carrying out tasks within a single service.

It will use AI models including LG AI Research's K-EXAONE and Kakao's Kanana. Before applying the service, the consortium will verify quality and safety and plans to ensure accessibility for digitally vulnerable groups such as older people and people with disabilities.

LG Uplus will use its telephone-based AI service, offline stores nationwide and telecommunications infrastructure. The goal is to provide an environment in which AI can be used by phone without installing a separate application or going through a sign-up process.

The consortium will unveil a beta service in September and refine it by reflecting user feedback and use cases. It then plans to launch an official service within the year, focusing on verified functions.

Kim Se-woong (김세웅), Kakao's AI synergy performance leader, said the core of the service is making it easy to access AI via KakaoTalk and extending it beyond simple information searches to various tasks needed in everyday life. He said it will create a foundation for a public-facing AI service that anyone can use with participating companies.

Ko Jin-tae (고진태), head of enterprise strategy at LG Uplus, said it will provide an environment where AI can be used with a single phone call and expand AI use to older people and digitally vulnerable groups based on offline stores nationwide and telecommunications infrastructure.