Upstage plans to mix AI with search engine
South Korean artificial intelligence startup Upstage said Thursday it had completed the acquisition of AXZ, the operator of portal site Daum, in a move aimed at building an AI-powered search platform combining large language models with one of the country’s top search engines.
The deal follows a memorandum of understanding signed with AXZ's parent company Kakao in January and a four-month due diligence process. Under the agreement, Upstage acquires full ownership of AXZ through a share swap, while Kakao receives a minority stake in Upstage.
Upstage said it plans on combining Daum's search engine and massive database with its self-made large language model Solar to develop an AI-based platform.
The platform is set to provide what it described as "context AI" services where users can get search answers based on the context and nuance of their questions. This is distinguished from the average search engines that give results based on simple keywords, Upstage explained.
In particular, the company expects the platform would also support its broader push to develop a sovereign AI foundation model, contributing to the easy access of AI to the public.
"We are confident that the combination of our leading technology and Daum's three decades of service will be the watershed of a new era in the AI industry," said Upstage CEO Kim Sung-hoon.
shwang9@heraldcorp.com
