TLDR: Kakao, South Korea’s dominant mobile platform, has announced the integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT into its flagship messenger, KakaoTalk. This significant upgrade, unveiled at the ‘If(kakao) 2025’ developers conference, will allow users to access ChatGPT directly within the chat interface starting in October, without needing a separate app. The move is part of Kakao’s broader strategy to evolve KakaoTalk into a multifunctional ‘super app’ that leverages AI to enhance user engagement, automate services, and create new monetization opportunities, addressing a recent decline in user engagement.
Kakao, the operator of South Korea’s most widely used mobile messenger, KakaoTalk, has announced a groundbreaking integration of OpenAI’s generative AI chatbot, ChatGPT. This marks one of the most significant upgrades in the app’s history, transforming it into a multifunctional ‘super app’ powered by artificial intelligence. The integration was unveiled on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at Kakao’s annual developers conference, ‘If(kakao) 2025,’ held in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
Starting in October, ChatGPT will be directly accessible within the KakaoTalk chat tab, eliminating the need for users to download a separate application. A dedicated ChatGPT icon is expected to appear within the message input screen, allowing for natural interactions with the chatbot. This seamless integration will also enable users to engage with a wide array of Kakao ecosystem services, including reservations, gifting, and music streaming via Melon, all within the flow of conversation.
Kakao CEO Chung Shin-a emphasized the significance of this development, stating, “Starting in October, ChatGPT will be accessible within the KakaoTalk chat tab. This marks a pivotal moment in embedding globally recognized AI capabilities into a platform that is deeply integrated into the daily lives of nearly every Korean.” She further elaborated on the company’s vision, noting, “KakaoTalk will evolve beyond a messenger into a platform that encompasses content discovery, exploration and relationship-driven social features.” Chung also highlighted the potential for broader AI adoption, predicting, “Even users who have never interacted with AI services before are likely to become curious and engage when they see ChatGPT-generated responses shared within group chats or appear organically in conversations.”
Oliver Jay, international managing director at OpenAI, underscored the collaborative effort: “By bringing ChatGPT into KakaoTalk, an app that nearly all Koreans use every day, we are embedding world-class AI into the lives of people across the nation. It’s because Kakao’s services extend far beyond messaging. … Together we can combine global technology with local leadership to create experiences that are natural, useful and trusted.” He added, “This is just the beginning. We look forward to expanding this collaboration, exploring new integrations across Kakao’s platforms and continuing to support the AI journey of Korea and Kakao on behalf of OpenAI.”
This AI push is a central component of Kakao’s broader digital strategy overhaul, aiming to leverage AI agents to automate services, boost user engagement, and unlock new monetization opportunities, all without requiring users to leave the app. The company is also addressing a decline in user engagement; data from Mobile Index shows KakaoTalk’s monthly average usage time per user dropped to 674 minutes in August 2025, down nearly two hours from 790 minutes in August 2021.
Beyond ChatGPT, KakaoTalk is set to undergo additional significant revamps. These include the introduction of an Instagram-style feed and a short-form video platform, as well as the ability to have multiple replies to a message, similar to Meta’s Threads. The friends list tab will be redesigned from a simple alphabetical list to a feed-style format, displaying friends based on their posts. A new tab will also host exclusive Kakao content and original productions from affiliates, supported by a monetization ecosystem for creators. The AI agent co-developed by Kakao and OpenAI is expected to be released by early November and will be embedded into KakaoTalk, enabling functionalities like restaurant bookings.
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Kakao’s partnership with OpenAI was initially announced in February, setting the stage for this strategic alignment between a leading mobile app and a global AI research powerhouse.
