Naver is in the final stages of shifting its search service toward an artificial intelligence-driven model, a change expected to significantly reshape the results page users see. As search moved from PCs to mobile a decade ago, the company is now moving from keyword-based search to AI-based search.
On 21일, Naver began a closed beta test of an “AI tab” for employees, aiming for a second-quarter launch. Because closed beta testing is typically a final internal check before release, the industry has raised the possibility of a rollout as early as late April or early May. Some features or even the name could change after feedback is reviewed.
Internal reaction has been broadly positive, according to people familiar with the matter. Rather than trying to dominate general-purpose queries against global AI services, the approach is seen as focusing on areas where Naver already has an edge. For example, for location- and reservation-based requests such as “Find a restaurant in Pangyo that can take a reservation at 6 p.m.,” the system is expected to provide more practical answers by linking to existing data. Analysts attribute that to a structure that can quickly reflect reservation and store information accumulated through services such as Naver Place.
The AI tab is expected to appear alongside existing category tabs such as News, Blogs and Cafes within the current search results screen. After a user enters a query, the AI would present personalized results reflecting preferences and context, while also allowing follow-up questions through a conversational interface. The goal is to strengthen a chat-style search experience beyond simple information delivery.
Naver is also designing the AI tab as an umbrella for integrating multiple AI agents. Depending on what a search requires, different agents — such as shopping, maps or reservations — would be called. If a user requests a task, a relevant agent could run automatically, or the user could choose an agent and direct it to carry out the work.
The first application will be a shopping AI agent. Naver plans to expand to finance, Place and other areas, and expects that by next year multiple agents will be linked across Naver services. Longer term, the company aims for a system in which a user typing “I’m going on an overseas trip” would trigger agents to divide and carry out tasks such as booking flights, buying needed items and managing an itinerary.
The shift underscores Naver’s move from a search-centered service structure to an AI agent-based platform. The company has also been streamlining existing functions as part of a broader search overhaul. On April 8, it ended its related-search-terms service, and its AI search service Clova X has also been put on a path toward being phased out.
A Naver official said the company is taking a gradual approach rather than a sudden overhaul, given its large user base. “We are pursuing a strategy of expanding the AI experience step by step while maintaining existing usability,” the official said, adding, “Just as AI Briefing was expanded only up to 20% over a year, the AI tab will also be rolled out in stages.”
Globally, search is also shifting toward AI. Google has introduced “Gemini in Chrome” in South Korea, integrating its Gemini AI model into the Chrome browser and allowing users to call up AI through a side panel. The move of portal competition toward AI is expected to accelerate both in South Korea and abroad.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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