TLDRs;
- Naver forms R-TF task force to expand AI, digital twin, and smart city ventures.
- CEO Choi Soo-yeon leads initiative to push Naver’s research into business use.
- Saudi Arabia and Japan partnerships spotlight Naver’s growing global presence.
- R-TF to commercialize “physical AI” and strengthen B2B, government collaborations.
South Korea’s tech giant Naver has officially launched a new CEO-led task force, known as R-TF, aimed at accelerating its expansion into artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, and smart city solutions.
The initiative is spearheaded by CEO Choi Soo-yeon and Naver Labs CEO Seok Sang-ok, bringing together leadership from the company’s most innovative units. Chang Sung-wook, formerly of Kakao Mobility, has been appointed as team leader, marking a strategic hire that blends research expertise with real-world mobility and AI deployment experience.
The newly formed task force will focus on commercializing emerging technologies developed within Naver Labs, transforming them into scalable business solutions that can be integrated into cities, enterprises, and infrastructure projects worldwide.
Expanding Beyond South Korea’s Borders
Naver’s R-TF is not starting from scratch. The company already has a proven track record in large-scale digital twin implementations across Saudi Arabia, notably in Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah, covering more than 6,800 square kilometers and mapping 920,000 buildings.
These projects were part of a $100 million award secured in October 2023, representing Naver’s first major Middle Eastern contract.
Currently, Naver is also collaborating with NTT Group in Japan on a smart building initiative in Tokyo, signaling the company’s broader intent to merge its AI and cloud computing capabilities into physical urban infrastructures. These cross-border partnerships are helping Naver establish credibility in the global smart city ecosystem, positioning it as a go-to provider of integrated AI-driven platforms.
Commercializing “Physical AI”
One of the most intriguing aspects of Naver’s new R-TF initiative is its focus on “physical AI.” This term refers to embedding artificial intelligence into real-world systems such as autonomous vehicles, robotics, and connected infrastructure, that interact dynamically with human environments.
By integrating physical AI with digital twin platforms, Naver hopes to create cities that can simulate, predict, and optimize operations in real time, from traffic management and energy use to disaster preparedness. These technologies are designed not just for visualization but for real-world decision-making, making them invaluable for both government agencies and enterprise clients.
While the company has yet to disclose R-TF’s budget, headcount, or project targets, the group’s formation signals a long-term vision to monetize Naver’s R&D pipeline. The initiative will likely determine the company’s competitive standing in the 2025–2026 global AI infrastructure race.
Saudi Collaborations Pave New Market Opportunities
A particularly significant partnership for Naver is its ongoing involvement with Saudi Arabia’s New Murabba smart city project in Riyadh, which is expected to open in phases through 2040. The agreement, structured as a three-year memorandum of understanding (MOU), involves Naver Cloud, the firm’s cloud computing arm. The collaboration encompasses robotics, autonomous vehicles, and AI-driven city management platforms.
Naver’s digital twin work already integrates with Balady, Saudi Arabia’s national mapping and municipal services platform. This integration is crucial, it allows Naver’s systems to interoperate with the kingdom’s broader urban management infrastructure. The partnership opens the door for additional contracts and subcontracting opportunities across Riyadh, Dammam, and New Murabba, particularly in IoT sensors, 3D modeling, and construction monitoring.
