Why it matters: NAVER Cloud's AI translation app, Papago, has reached a remarkable benchmark of 10 million global monthly active users, a 30% increase year-over-year.
The South Korean tech company's advances in AI research and usability enhancements have positioned it as a critical player in the translation services sector.
The Key Points:
- Papago's international user base has grown 1.5 times since last year, with significant usage in Japan, Southeast Asia, and North America. This user growth comes from Papago's solid domestic performance, which has held the top in the translation app category for six consecutive years.
- The app's success is attributed to NAVER's commitment to AI technology research and its focus on improving the user experience. Papago uses the company's proprietary artificial neural network machine translation (NMT) technology to support translations in 15 languages.
- The service is also integrated into other platforms, such as the NAVER app, Whale Browser, and Line.
- Technological advances such as implementing Hierarchical Text Structuring (HTS) and developing In-Painting have increased Papago's competitiveness. These technologies have improved the accuracy and readability of translations, contributing to a fivefold increase in the use of Papago's image translation service.
- In 2021, Papago launched Papago Edu, a mobile language learning service. This additional feature, which serves 1.1 million monthly users, has strengthened its user base, particularly among teens and twentysomethings.
The Big Picture: Papago's surpassing 10 million monthly active users worldwide underscores the growing adoption of AI-powered translation services.
The company's continued efforts in technical research and improving translation performance point to a future where AI will play an even more prominent role in bridging language barriers and improving global communication.
