Kakao unveils “KoGPT‑X” foundation model to power next‑gen search and chat services

On August 8, 2026, South Korean internet giant Kakao introduced “KoGPT‑X,” its largest Korean‑focused large language model (LLM) to date. An LLM is a foundation model for text tasks such as generation, summarization, and dialogue, similar in concept to systems like ChatGPT. Kakao says KoGPT‑X is a complete overhaul of its previous KoGPT family, with significantly more parameters, a larger training corpus, and stronger bilingual support for Korean and English.

The company plans to roll the model out across its core services, including the Daum search portal, the KakaoTalk messenger app, and content and map services. KoGPT‑X will first be offered as a developer API, with consumer‑facing features scheduled to appear later this year. Expected use cases include conversational search answers, virtual assistants for everyday tasks, and AI‑driven product recommendations inside Kakao’s shopping services.

Kakao also released safety and transparency guidelines, pledging clearer attribution of training data sources and stricter filtering of harmful outputs. With domestic rival NAVER and others also racing to build their own foundation models, KoGPT‑X marks a new escalation in South Korea’s competition to control the next generation of generative‑AI platforms.