This is because the market’s evaluation criteria are shifting from an era focused on whether a company possesses AI technology to one where companies compete based on how much they have boosted sales and productivity through AI.
According to the ICT industry on the 6th, NC IDS, the IT services subsidiary of NC—known for its “Lineage” series—recently changed its name to “NC AX.” NAMU TECH CO.,LTD. changed its name to “Namu AX,” and Topco Media changed its name to “Enki AX,” declaring their expansion into AI-based businesses.
The industry interprets this not as a mere trend but as a paradigm shift in the AI industry. The era when companies garnered attention simply for adopting generative AI and large language models (LLMs) has passed; we have now entered an era where companies that use AI to innovate actual workflows and improve profitability are recognized as competitive.
In fact, the market’s focus has shifted. Rather than “Can you build AI?”, the question of “How much revenue have you generated and how much have you improved operational efficiency using AI?” is emerging as the key criterion for determining corporate value. This is why the AX strategy—which uses AI to transform existing businesses and operations as a whole—has become the new focal point for companies, rather than AI technology itself.
Corporate business strategies are also changing rapidly.
NC AX is targeting the digital transformation market in industrial settings by integrating AI with its existing capabilities in ERP and enterprise business system development.
Namu AX has expanded its cloud-centric business into a full-stack AX business, including the construction of AI factories and the optimization of data center operations. Visible results are already emerging, with revenue from its proprietary AI solutions exceeding 10% in the second quarter of this year. The company aims to secure AI factory reference projects by the end of the year.
Content companies are no exception. Topco Media is expanding its business scope with AI-based services, such as an AI chatbot service that allows users to interact with characters using the company’s webtoon intellectual property (IP).
In addition, HANDYSOFT, Inc., which previously operated in the groupware business, has changed its name to Polaris AI Handy. Polaris AI Handy announced that it will strengthen its business identity as an AX (AI-X) company by integrating AI with its groupware technology.
However, some in the securities industry caution against directly linking a name change to an increase in corporate value. While companies touting AI or AX may attract short-term market attention, corporate value must ultimately be backed by technological capabilities and actual performance.
Kim Dae-jong, a professor of business administration at Sejong University, said, “When companies include AI or AX in their names, it serves as a branding strategy to clearly communicate their future growth direction and innovative spirit to the market, and it carries significant weight as a declaration of their mid- to long-term strategy.” He added, “However, corporate value does not increase simply by changing a company’s name.”
He went on to emphasize, “Ultimately, the success or failure of an AX strategy will be proven not by the name, but by tangible results such as actual AI capabilities, revenue, and profitability,” adding, “A mere rebranding without substance is likely to result in nothing more than temporary interest.”
