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KakaoTalk, the country’s mobile messaging application, is experiencing a significant transformation 15 years after its introduction. From the afternoon of the 23rd, following an update to KakaoTalk, users will have the ability to modify messages they’ve already sent within chat rooms. Additionally, the voice call feature ‘Voice Talk’ will now support recording and summarizing conversations. Beginning next month, KakaoTalk will integrate ChatGPT, enabling users to access ChatGPT without having to exit the app. In the future, KakaoTalk will also introduce ‘proactive messages’ that comprehend the context of user conversations and offer suggestions for reservations, scheduling, and shopping as needed.

Chung Shin-a, a Kakao representative, spoke at the developer event ‘if Kakao,’ which took place at Kakao’s AI Campus in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, under the theme ‘Possibility, Becoming Daily Life.’ He stated, “KakaoTalk will act as an innovation gateway moving from the mobile era into the AI era.” He further mentioned, “The expression ‘KakaoTalk it’ will now extend beyond just ‘sending a message’ and will be understood as a way to experience a broader world through Kakao AI.”

◇ Messages Can Be Edited Within 24 Hours·Chats Can Be Categorized as ‘Friends’ or ‘Work’

The updates implemented today feature message editing, Voice Talk call recording, text conversion, AI-based summarization, and enhanced search capabilities. In the past, users needed to delete and re-send messages to make changes, but now they can edit messages at any time within 24 hours. However, if the recipient has already read the message, edits can still be made, though a notice of modification will appear. Kakao received favorable responses in August after extending the message deletion option from 5 minutes to up to 24 hours.

The ‘Chat Folder’ function, available within the ‘Chats Tab,’ enables users to organize chat rooms by forming personalized groups. For instance, chats can be sorted into up to 10 different categories like friends, work, or interest-based clubs. The ‘Unread’ folder in the Chats Tab now lets users swipe down to access unread messages and also includes an AI-generated summary of unread chat room communications.

The ‘Friends Tab’ in KakaoTalk has transitioned from a phonebook-style layout to a feed-based design to boost user interaction. Similar to Instagram, users can quickly see their friends’ daily activities, images, and updates. There’s no longer a need to visit each friend’s profile individually to check for changes or new posts, as everything is shown in a chronological format. When users update their profile pictures, status messages, countdowns, or share posts, these appear in a grid layout on their profile homepage.

The ‘Now Tab’ in KakaoTalk replaces the previous ‘Open Chat Tab,’ enabling users to access short videos and open chats. Users can browse different short-form videos and share them with friends immediately, or interact with others while watching videos in chat rooms. The ‘Open Chat Community,’ launched within Open Chat, lets users see popular discussions in a feed without entering specific chat rooms. A commenting function has also been included.

◇ Integration with ChatGPT-5 · Context-Sensitive Proactive Messages

KakaoTalk is incorporating a variety of AI features. The major update is the addition of ChatGPT, created in collaboration with OpenAI since February. Kakao will display a ‘ChatGPT’ icon at the top of the Chats Tab, enabling users to quickly access generative AI capabilities, much like initiating conversations by selecting specific chat rooms. Users can share discussions and content generated by ChatGPT directly within chat rooms. This version differs from the standard ChatGPT as it is integrated with Kakao’s existing services including gifting, KakaoMap, Melon, and bookings. The implementation uses the most recent version, ChatGPT-5. Users are not allowed to ask an unlimited number of questions; they are subject to OpenAI’s free usage restrictions, as stated by the company.

Kakao also revealed updates that integrate its internal AI technology and service, Kanana. By using the on-device (embedded) AI model ‘Kanana Nano,’ KakaoTalk will be able to comprehend the context of conversations and send messages suggesting activities such as scheduling, bookings, purchases, and information searches to users. For instance, if users are talking about visiting Lotte World with a friend, the app will send a separate notification with relevant details on how to get there or buy tickets, rather than showing it within the chat window. Similarly, if users discuss making a restaurant reservation with a friend, the app will send a reminder on the day of the appointment. The ‘Kanana in KakaoTalk’ feature will begin beta testing on the Kanana website today, with selected users able to try it from mid-next month.

The ‘#’ search, which was previously associated with the Daum portal search, will be replaced by the AI-powered ‘Kanana Search.’ This function automatically conducts related searches when users click on keywords that emerge during conversations, even without inputting specific search terms.

◇ Decline in KakaoTalk Usage Time… Instagram Gaining Popularity

As of August 2025, the statistical analysis platform Mobile Index reported that KakaoTalk had an average monthly usage time of 674 minutes per user, whereas Instagram averaged 998 minutes per user. Although KakaoTalk reached 826 minutes in March 2022, it has shown a declining trend, dropping to 769 minutes in March 2023 and further to 731 minutes in March 2024. On the other hand, Instagram’s average monthly usage has been rising, increasing from 578 minutes in March 2022 to 716 minutes in March 2023 and then to 882 minutes in March 2024.

Representative Chung mentioned during this year’s second-quarter financial report, “We anticipate a spontaneous increase in users once they come across ChatGPT through avenues such as sharing search results while chatting with friends.”