[KH Biz Forum] Naver’s AI evolving to eliminate care blind spots

Tech giant Naver is delving deeper into artificial intelligence with its supersized HyperClova platform trained in the Korean language, and hopes to use the technology to connect to users on a deeper level to identify their needs, said a ranking executive leading the development.

Portraying how society would be a much warmer place for the elderly and those with health conditions with advanced AI, Naver Clova CIC Executive Officer Sung Nako introduced the firm’s voice AI-powered services, including Clova Care Call.

“Our technology focuses on making an emotional connection with users by holding conversations with them regularly, during which AI gathers users’ data to truly show interest in them and provide tailored healthcare services,” said Sung at the The Korea Herald Biz Forum, held at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on Wednesday.

Naver plans to further upgrade the AI-based call service to extract and remember key information from its latest conversation with a user and be able to use that information in future ones, he added.

Clova Care Call, launched early this year, makes periodic calls to elders living alone to check on their eating habits, sleeping patterns and potential health problems.

"AI technology does not replace humans but can play a human-like role that can reach out to people who are neglected due to a labor shortage," said Sung. He introduced Clova Care Call, which currently checks up on around 10,000 elderly people living alone and gives notice to local institutes if they are in need of an actual help.

"The forte of this technology is that it can take care of a lot of people with few caretakers," he said.

AI technology will be able to relieve the pressure in service sector workers, he stressed.

"It can take the pressure off anyone who works. At the same time, it can help eliminate welfare and care blind spots."