Krafton has named a new chief AI officer to bolster its game AI research and development framework

Krafton, the company behind PUBG, has announced a new chief AI officer. Kangwook Lee, who has been leading Krafton's AI division since last year, has been instrumental in redesigning the AI research structure to advance the firm's innovative potential. His efforts concentrate on pivotal AI sectors like machine learning, language models, natural language processing, reinforcement learning, and multimodal models.

Lee has co-authored 57 papers recognized at prestigious AI conferences such as NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR. His notable achievements include a joint project with NVIDIA at Krafton, creating "co-playable characters" and allowing for "real-time interaction" between gamers and AI companions.

In a recent statement, Krafton expressed that Lee's promotion to CAIO is set to fortify its game AI research and development framework and will align with their mid-to-long-term technology-driven business strategy. The organization aims to enhance AI as a means to boost developer creativity, thereby refining gameplay experiences.

Krafton's AI endeavors will be centered on three major areas: enhancing gameplay, improving operational efficiency, and exploring new avenues for growth.

Earlier this month, Krafton reported reaching an unprecedented milestone in 2025, with revenues exceeding $2.05 billion for the first time. This impressive 22.8% surge in revenue is attributed to the growth of its PUBG franchise, which experienced significant expansion. Additionally, operating profits climbed to $717.5 million.