LG AI Research Launches EXAONE 4.0, Claims Edge Over Meta

Seoul, South Korea — LG AI Research announced Tuesday the development of EXAONE 4.0, an artificial intelligence model it says outperforms Meta’s Llama 4 Scout in comparative tests.

Details of the testing methodology were not disclosed.

The announcement took place at a Seoul event where the research unit presented what it described as Korea’s first hybrid AI model.

According to LG AI Research, EXAONE 4.0 includes a component called EXAONE 4.0 VL, designed to process documents, images, and molecular structures.

Honglak Lee, co-president at LG AI Research, described the system as the “eyes” of the EXAONE model.

The company reported downloads of its various AI models exceeding five million. Timeframes and competitor comparisons were not provided.

LG AI Research said it developed three business applications that completed internal validation, according to the company.

The company stated that one application, ChatEXAONE, received ISO certification for processing sensitive documents. The specific ISO standard was not identified.

The research unit said its EXAONE Data Foundry platform enables productivity gains, stating one person can complete tasks in a day that would typically require 60 specialists working for three months.

The company stated this represented productivity increases of at least 1,000 times, but did not specify the tasks or provide independent verification.

LG AI Research also announced EXAONE Path 2.0, which it said reduces disease diagnosis time from two weeks to under one minute. The specific diseases or diagnosis types were not disclosed.

The company stated that EXAONE On-Premise uses Korean-developed components, enabling businesses to operate the AI system independently. Technical specifications were not provided.

LG AI Research announced expanded licensing terms to include educational use and a partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group.

Arman Sahovic, an executive at LSEG, stated the companies are developing investment analysis tools, but did not provide details on implementation timelines or scope.

The company outlined its history since December 2020, citing notable achievements, including first place in an AI competition in 2021 and partnerships established in 2023.

The company stated EXAONE 3.5 was included in Stanford University’s AI Report in December 2024 as the only Korean model featured.

Woohyung Lim, company co-president, stated that LG AI Research plans to expand its applications across various industrial sectors based on its proprietary foundation model.

Lee said the company would focus on developing physical AI technology designed to interact with real-world environments.