KaKao

- Seeking new collaboration potential, from identifying problems creatively with AI to making optimal decisions

- 100 finalists gathered at the Kakao AI Campus to demonstrate their AI utilization capabilities 

- Participants spanned diverse generations and professions, from high school seniors to mid-career professionals, underscoring the power of people beyond technology

 

[November 23, 2025] Kakao took its first step toward experimenting with new approaches to problem-solving through AI, together with talented AI practitioners from across the country.

 

Kakao Impact (Chairperson Suk-young Ryu) and Brian Impact (Chairperson Seung-ki Park) hosted the final round of the AI TOP 100 competition on November 22 at the Kakao AI Campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do Province.

 

The competition was sponsored by the Ministry of Science and ICT, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Kyung-hoon Bae, and Kakao, represented by CEO Shina Chung. The event was designed to explore the potential of human capabilities dramatically amplified through collaboration with AI. It was founded on the belief that when anyone can grow alongside AI to solve everyday challenges and even aspire to address complex social issues, national AI competitiveness will also be strengthened.

 

The preliminary round took place online on October 18, attracting more than 3,000 applicants. Participants demonstrated their ability to leverage AI by completing assigned tasks within a limited time. The preliminary round drew a wide range of professions, including technology industry professionals, small business owners, firefighters, farmers, entrepreneurs, and lawyers. Participants ranged in age from 15 (born in 2010) to 67 (born in 1958), representing virtually every generation.

 

The 100 finalists selected through the preliminary round were equally diverse, ranging from high school seniors to mid-career office workers. More than half were non-developers, highlighting AI’s transition into a widely accessible, mainstream technology.

 

One of the most notable aspects of the competition was the nature of the challenges themselves. Contestants were presented with realistic, everyday problem scenarios and tasked with resolving them using a variety of AI tools. One example involved quickly understanding the work left behind by a predecessor who had resigned without a proper handover, based only on a large volume of data, and then producing new business and planning documents.

 

The total prize pool for AI TOP 100 amounted to KRW 150 million. Awards included one grand prize winner receiving KRW 30 million, two gold prize winners receiving KRW 10 million each, three silver prize winners receiving KRW 5 million each, four bronze prize winners receiving KRW 2.5 million each, and special prizes totaling KRW 25 million.

 

The grand prize was awarded to university student Tae-ho Je. He stated, “I want to be someone who helps make the world a better place through technology. This award will serve as an important turning point for me.” Fellow participants echoed similar sentiments, noting that the very fact that such a large-scale and innovative AI competition was held in Korea was deeply inspiring.

 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Kyung-hoon Bae, who presented the grand prize, emphasized that AI utilization skills are a core competency for the future. He added that the capabilities and spirit of challenge demonstrated by participants across generations would play a meaningful role in realizing Korea’s vision of an “AI foundational society.”

 

Kakao CEO Shina Chung, who presented the gold prizes, remarked, “True competitiveness in the AI era lies in the courage to abandon old ways through ‘un-learning.’ By taking on the challenge of testing the limits of human potential with AI as a tool, the participants demonstrated the power of people that surpasses technology itself.”

 

Suk-young Ryu, Chairperson of Kakao Impact, commented, “The AI TOP 100 event was an intense and inspiring festival that offered a glimpse into how much humans can accomplish together with AI.” Ryu added that Kakao Impact will continue to pursue social impact initiatives grounded in the belief that technology can benefit society and drive a new era of meaningful change.

 

Following the competition, Kakao Impact released a selection of preliminary and final-round questions on its website. The company also plans to launch a dedicated website where the public can attempt all of the competition’s challenges firsthand in the near future. (E.O.D.)

 

[Reference] Kakao Impact website

https://www.kakaoimpact.org/