Kakao Entertainment Launches AI Webtoon Short-Form 'Helix Shorts'

Kakao Entertainment has unveiled 'Helix Shorts', an AI-based webtoon short-form video production technology, to all KakaoPage users. This is the third AI technology-based service, following 'Helix Push' and 'Helix Curation', signaling a new change in how webtoon content is consumed and exposed. Helix Shorts is an AI technology that automatically converts webtoons into short videos. It is exposed on the KakaoPage app's home screen, helping users intuitively grasp the plot and key points of a work. In particular, by combining with an AI personalized recommendation system, it provides shorts tailored to user preferences, increasing the likelihood of leading to viewing the full work. The core of this technology lies in its advanced AI, which understands even images and emotions. The AI deeply analyzes webtoon panel composition, speech bubbles, dialogue, and character expressions to summarize the plot and generate narration sentences for shorts. The generated narration is converted into natural speech using TTS (Text-to-Speech) technology, and automatically combines cuts, image effects, and appropriate background music to match the story's emotional flow, completing an immersive video. This differentiates it from existing text-centric AI technologies. The introduction of Helix Shorts has dramatically improved production efficiency. Previously, producing a single short took several weeks and millions of won, but with Helix Shorts, it can be done in just 3 hours at a cost of approximately 60,000 won. This provides creators with the opportunity to effectively promote more works and offers users a new way to discover content. Kakao Entertainment began developing Helix Shorts technology in 2023, and as of February 2024, its application has been completed for all users who have viewed webtoons within the past 30 days. Currently, approximately 40% of all shorts on KakaoPage are produced with Helix Shorts, and plans are underway to further increase production efficiency by introducing AI agents to automate the review and editing stages. Through AI technology, Kakao Entertainment will continue to support the sustainable growth of the creative ecosystem and innovate user experiences.