AI creator developer ‘UNX’ announced on the 30th that it has attracted seed investment. The investment was led by Kakao Ventures, and Schmidt and Mark & Company jointly participated.
Unx is an AI entertech startup that develops ‘AI creators’ that broadcast on their own without real-time intervention from humans and form relationships with fans. Through its own AI technology ‘Fandom Engine’, it connects character IP with fans in real time and supports character IP to monetize by forming a continuous fandom.
Fandom Engine is a system that helps character IP communicate with viewers in real time while maintaining its unique personality and worldview. When a person sets only the overall broadcast direction and operating standards, AI leads the broadcast by creating conversations and actions that fit the situation. Existing virtual creators played by humans may have different character tones depending on the condition or emotional state of the performer, but Unx’s AI creators can build relationships with fans by consistently maintaining the character’s personality and worldview without continuous human intervention.
In addition, if the existing AI character chat was mainly conducted as a one-on-one text conversation with users, UNX’s AI creators communicate with multiple viewers at the same time and provide a “joint experience” of live broadcasting. Broadcast operation know-how and data must be steadily accumulated in order to naturally continue real-time interaction with a large number of viewers. By accumulating these operational know-how and data, Unx has established a structure that can reliably operate AI creators on various platforms. The fandom engine can be applied not only to UNX’s own IP but also to IPs owned by external partners, so it is designed to expand various characters into AI creators.
Recently, at home and abroad, a new type of creator is emerging in which virtual characters form real fandom, AI broadcasts on its own, and relationships with fans. Overseas, AI streamers “Neuro-sama” and “Shizuku AI” are considered representative examples. Based on the fandom engine, Unx plans and operates its own AI creator IP such as AI agent character group ‘AISA High School Streaming Department’ and ‘Saju Oppa’. It has also established its own pipeline ranging from character planning to production and real-time broadcasting operation.
Based on this investment, UNX will hire key talents in the AI engine and content fields, and will start producing live content and upgrading fandom engines of its own AI creators. While introducing various own IPs in the future, it will also expand partnerships to expand external IPs that already have a thick fan base and narratives such as webtoons, entertainment, games, beauty, and brands to AI creators. The plan is to build a long-term fandom by focusing on the charm and narrative that makes fans like the character and continue the relationship rather than the character’s appearance or creation technology itself. Based on the competitiveness of K-content and subculture IP, it is also planning to speed up its entry into the global market.
Kim Ji-woong, director of Kakao Ventures, said, “The AI creator’s competitive edge is not a character-making technology, but an operational ability to accumulate data by stably rolling interactions with numerous fans every day in live broadcasting.” “I think Unx is the most advanced in Korea in that the team that has grown the platform and creator ecosystem on TikTok is releasing its know-how with a system called a fandom engine.”
UnX is not a company that makes only one character well, but an AI entertech company that makes a system that expands attractive IP into fandom, said Kim Kwang-min, CEO of UnX. “We will first create a culture in Korea where AI works as an artist and influencer beyond creators who live and communicate with fans.”
