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In the last part 1, ALTools Business Unit, Constantly Challenging by Adding AI with 'ALTools-ness' , we heard about 'ALTools' from Hoyeon and Yuri, who are shaping the present of the national software ALTools. This time, we will focus a bit more on them. We will talk about the story of the ALTools Business Unit: how they work, what their past time with ALTools was like, and what the future they will share looks like.
Working Way Also Like ALTools: Fast and Convenient with AI Agentic Workflow
Q. I can feel your affection and confidence in ALTools from both of you. Behind such good products, there must be a 'good team.' What specific roles do each of your teams play?
Yuri) The Business Development Team I belong to is responsible for helping ALTools products grow better in the eyes of users and the market. Together with the product-making organization, we look at market reactions, ponder which features to promote and how, which channels to generate traffic from, and which messages will be effective for conversion.
Overall, we carry out various tasks for the business expansion of ALTools services. We promote partnership businesses such as products, advertising, and subscriptions, and also manage the operation and revenue of ALTools' internal advertising spaces. Based on ALTools' user touchpoints and product assets, our role is to create new business opportunities and manage a stable revenue structure.
Hoyeon) Our APP Product Department is an organization responsible for all of ALTools' mobile apps. A unique feature is that we are not just a simple 'development team.' Every process from planning to design, development, and QA is organically intertwined within a single team. Therefore, decision-making is fast, and each member can have a strong sense of ownership over the product.
ALTools mobile lineup. From top left, in order: AlSong, AlPDF, ALZip, Picnic, Alan
Q. The phrase 'from planning to design and QA, everything is organically intertwined within one team' is impressive. I'm curious about how the ALTools Business Unit works.
Hoyeon) The biggest feature of our team is that we redesigned the way we work itself into an 'AI Agentic Workflow.' Instead of using AI as a simple auxiliary tool, humans focus on defining 'what to make' in documents, and we created an environment where agents can work most efficiently based on those documents. As a result, tasks that used to take several weeks or up to 1-2 months for a single new feature now take only 3-5 days to complete.
Working this way has naturally broadened the boundaries of job roles as well. When developers create and deliver drafts up to planning, design, and primary QA, each expert, instead of starting from zero, focuses on the 'core 20% that humans must fill.' Through this, 'one person, one project,' where one person takes full responsibility for a product from start to finish, became possible, and we work in a way where the person with the deepest understanding of the product becomes the actual practitioner.
On top of this, our strength lies in an environment where legacy and challenge coexist, constantly trying new apps and new technologies while handling 30-year national software. I think it's a team that fits well for 'people who want to experience both stable products and new challenges simultaneously.'
Yuri) You're exactly right (laughs). Although ALTools is a long-standing service, there is still plenty of room for continuous new experimentation, and thus, I think our working style is also quite experimental. Since we are not just stopping at maintaining existing PC products, but constantly trying new directions like mobile apps, web services, AI features, new beta products, and global markets.
In particular, as Hoyeon mentioned, the utilization and integration of AI in our work are extremely high. Thanks to the company generally supporting necessary AI services including Claude, and the organization being very proactive about being AI Native, I also handle repetitive tasks like translation, copy drafts, and brainstorming materials with the help of AI. The time saved in that way can now be used to think more deeply about message direction or user experience.
Also, tasks where product, development, design, business, and marketing move in sync happen frequently. This is my favorite part. Marketers do not just stay in the role of receiving and promoting finished products, but raise opinions on positioning, feature descriptions, and improving user touchpoints right from the initial stages of product planning. Marketing perspectives are already reflected starting from the feature design phase. I believe that only when marketers deeply understand the product can good marketing come out, and conversely, the product can get better only when market reactions can be fed back to the development team.
GS Certification Class 1 'ALTools AI Pack' started from 'ALTools-ness.'
Q. During your time with ALTools, when did you feel the most rewarded?
Hoyeon) The most rewarding part was the process of melting AI into ALTools products in an 'ALTools-like' way. ALTools has been continuously adding AI features since last year. What we considered most important was not 'how to add AI' but 'how to reach users in a familiar and accustomed way.'
These days, many products just layer conversational agents as they are and offer them in a way that says "figure out how to use it well on your own." We wanted to go one step further and also present the direction of "try using it like this in this situation." It is about continuing ALTools' long-held philosophy of 'fast and convenient' even in the AI era.
A representative example is the recently added 'Karaoke' feature in AlSong. It is a feature where AI separates the accompaniment and vocals from music, allowing users to sing along to their favorite songs just like in a karaoke. In fact, since I also like listening to and singing songs in the car, I use it really well (laughs). It is a feature that thoroughly reflects my contemplation on 'what kind of efficacy can AI give to users,' so it is personally the case I am most attached to.
AlSong mobile screen. Recently, AlSong added various additional features such as karaoke, pronunciation viewing, and key adjustment so that users can enjoy music in more diverse ways.
Yuri) I also remember the time spent organizing the messaging and user touchpoints across ALTools products during that process. Although each product has a different character—from PC products, mobile apps, web features, to new beta products—users ultimately look at "Why do I need this?" first, so delivering that answer easily was important.
We repeated the process of brainstorming product names, rewriting feature descriptions, creating ad copies and image assets, and making improvements based on actual performance. While it was very new, I felt a great sense of accomplishment seeing users' reactions change depending on what language we expressed the same feature in.
Q. If so, what is something you want to achieve through ALTools in the future, or any attempts you want to try?
Hoyeon) I want to integrate the AI features we are currently adding to the products even deeper in a direction that makes things more convenient without users having to consciously realize it. Rather than adding flashy features, it's about designing more elaborately what kind of help can be given at what moment.
Yuri) In the future, I want to make ALTools more distinct as a productivity brand encompassing PC, mobile, web, and AI, rather than just a simple collection of individual utilities. So that when users compress files, handle PDFs, take captures, listen to music, or utilize AI features, the perception that "such tasks can be easily solved in ALTools" is naturally engraved.
Also, I want to better design how new products or beta products meet users for the first time. Since the experience at the first moment of encountering a product—including the name, first screen, introductory phrase, advertising creative, and viral content—must be good for users to have a reason to try the product. Going beyond existing static product introductions, I want to experiment more with content that makes users feel "I want to try this" in a short amount of time, finding ways to show products more lightly and intuitively.
There is one more (laughs). Delivering the strengths of ALTools well to global users, not just domestic users. Since it is an incredibly familiar brand in Korea but we must persuade overseas markets anew, I believe a process of defining the essence of the product more sharply is needed.
Hoyeon) In fact, recently ALTools has been gradually entering overseas markets beyond Korea and receiving good responses. We confirmed that our philosophy of 'fast and convenient' works not only domestically but also in the global market. Now, I believe Yuri will do great with what comes next.
AlPDF mobile is an all-in-one PDF solution supporting various features and user convenience, receiving good responses among global users as well.
Comfortable to use for a long time, easy to use when trying something new, a national productivity tool always by your side
Q. Lastly, we are curious about the future goals drawn by the ALTools Business Unit!
Hoyeon) A close goal is for ALTools to establish itself as 'a product naturally used in various environments including mobile beyond PC' by the end of 2026. Even if it's not flashy, so that users can think of it and pull it out without hesitation in any environment—PC, mobile, web, AI—whenever they need it. Having new apps successfully settle down with users is also an important goal for this year.
In the long term, even in the AI era, the goal is for ALTools to remain a product that adds new technologies and experiences while maintaining its status as a 'fast and convenient national utility.' I want to show that ALTools can continue to stay by your side across generations.
Ultimately, we are expecting our philosophy of 'fast and convenient' to lead to great results not only domestically but also in the global market. As we have confirmed the possibility in our recent overseas expansion, we plan to grow that flow further.
And we also have goals in terms of how we work internally. Since we have significantly boosted practical work speed with AI so far, we now want to align people and processes to that speed. We will level up individual AI utilization capabilities, which vary from person to person, through sharing and pairing, and refine processes so that decision-making and review speeds keep up with the accelerated work speed. Ultimately, the next goal is to make a 'fast team' beyond 'fast tools.'
ALTools continuously upgrades its powerful PC lineup to help users improve productivity.
ALTools Web supports various features such as image editing, file conversion, and file viewer without requiring separate installation or subscription.
Yuri) I feel similarly. First of all, by the end of 2026, I hope ALTools is more clearly recognized as a 'productivity tool that can be easily used anywhere in PC, mobile, web, and AI environments' rather than just a 'program used on PC.'
Giving existing users the familiar comfort of "ALTools is still convenient and has gotten even better," and approaching new users easily without entry barriers to leave an impression like "this brand fits my life better than I thought."
In the long term, I hope ALTools is established not just as a 'bundle of individual products,' but as a single productivity brand that helps with every process of daily life and work, from file management, document work, content utilization, device connection, to AI-based work efficiency. Therefore, I want to do my best to continue refining messages and touchpoints so that users can easily understand and experience the utility of ALTools.
ALTools Business Unit Kim Ho-yeon and Choi Yuri
The ALTools Business Unit, which is with the 30-year national software ALTools. Although it might seem like an organization that flows slowly and cautiously as much as the weight of the past times suggests, in reality, they are experimenting with new technologies and trends faster than any other team while preserving both the familiar and friendly brand image and the identity of ALTools. Redesigning the way they work with AI Agentic Workflow and everyone moving efficiently and organically reflects ALTools' philosophy of being 'fast and convenient' as it is.
As Hoyeon said, "I want to show that ALTools can continue to stay by your side across generations," the ALTools Business Unit will continue to move forward so that ALTools can remain as 'a tool naturally by my side in daily life.' From a national utility to a global utility in the AI era, please cheer for ALTools heading globally beyond Korea!
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