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Naver, Line unveil AI platform 'Clova' project in Barcelona

Naver, Line unveil AI platform 'Clova' project in Barcelona

Posted March. 03, 2017 07:09,   

Updated March. 03, 2017 07:16

한국어

An artificial intelligent (AI) platform, which comprehensively compiles the AI technology of Korea’s Internet company Naver and its mobile messaging affiliate Line, has been unveiled. Naver and Line gave a hint that they would make further cooperation with companies of mobile phone, electronics, home robots and more. Now at the center of attention is whether they could re-organize the Asian contents ecology based on the newly-unveiled AI platform.

In his keynote address at the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, Spain on Thursday, Line CEO Takeshi Idezawa unveiled “Clova (Clova·CLOud Virtual Assistant)” that his company has co-developed with Naver.

An upgraded version of “Amica” that Naver has developed as AI assistant, the Clova is an integrated AI platform where different technologies of AI engine from voice, visual to conversation are incorporated together. “Different AI technologies, which have been studied as separate projects, have been incorporated as a single one under the name of Clova,” said sources from Naver.

On the day, the Line CEO said that the AI platform has mainly focused on voice up to date and will be further expanded in a way that recognizes wider range of senses. Clove application is to be unveiled as early as next month while the AI speakers “Wave” and “Face” are to be launched in the middle and end of this year, respectively, both in Korea and Japan. Joint efforts will be made with Sony in the mobile phone sector and with LG in the electronics sector. Line plans to market the Clova in Korea and Japan where sufficient contents have been secured, and further expand its presence to other Asian nations and global market.

Line announced that in an effort to make the most of Clova, it has acquired Vinclu, a Japanese robot-making company, as its subsidiary. A company that produces IoT products and hologram robots, Vinclu is expected to develop Clova-based AI home robots.



Hyun-Seok Lim lhs@donga.com