AI is proliferating rapidly across industries and into our daily lives, and the rise of generative AI in particular is revolutionizing the way we work and develop services.
According to the Korea International Trade Association in June 2025, more than 70% of Korean companies are already utilizing AI in at least one aspect of their business. In line with this trend, Wadiz has adopted AI across its services to make it easier for makers to start funding.
In November 2024, we launched AI screening, and in July this year, we launched WAi, an AI agent that supports the entire funding process in real-time.
We're applying AI in three key areas: resolving maker questions, automating story review, and translating into multiple languages to make it easier and faster for makers to get ready for funding.
In this post, we'll share data and insights on how makers are experiencing change since adopting AI, and what we've learned along the way.
WAi, a conversational AI that supports the entire funding process in real-time
You can start a conversation at any time via the WAi floating button in the bottom right corner of the Wadiz Maker Center screen.
WAi is an interactive AI agentthat answers a variety of questions related to Wadiz funding in real-time to quickly resolve maker questions.
When you're in the Wadiz Maker Center, you can start a conversation from any pagevia the WAi floating button in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Just like Chat GPT, you can ask questions and makers will instantly provide you with the information you need, from the funding opening process to terms, policies, settlements, and advertising guides.
WAi inquiry resolution rate averages 84%, what conversations have you had with makers?
We just launched WAi three months ago, and over the past three months, WAi has handled thousands of conversations, with an average inquiry resolution rate of 84%.
In this way, WAi is helping makers quickly find the information they need and run their projects more efficiently, from funding to operations to settlement.
Looking at WAi's data over the years, we can see at a glance what information makers look for most during the funding process.
What questions have makers asked the most over the years?
<WAi 데이터로 본 메이커의 주요 질문 유형(25.9.14-9.25) >
First of all, the most common questionswere about the project creation and review process (34%).
The most common question from makers seeking funding for the first time was "What do I need to prepare first?", with concerns centered on the early stages of opening a project, such as required documents, review criteria, and the approval process.
This was followed by funding promotion and marketing, which accounted for about 22% of inquiries, showing that makers are interested in how to get the word out and build fans beyond just opening their projects.
This was followed by questions related to payments, refunds, and settlements (19%), and project stories and operations (17%).
Unlike online shopping, funding is a process of production and shipping after a project is successful, so understanding payment schedules and refund criteria is especially important. That's why we asked makers a lot of practical questions about how they operate in the real world.
Other categories (8%), such as policy, exhibitions, and global projects, also received a variety of inquiries through WAi.
WAi, an assistant who can be with you from start to finish on your funding journey
When the Wadiz service design team first envisioned WAi, their goal was to create an "assistant that would be with you from the beginning to the end of your funding journey."
To learn more about WAi's design intentions and maker usage patterns, we spoke with Hyunjun Park, a professional in charge of service planning.
Hyunjun Park, a professional in the Service Design team who was in charge of planning WAi
"The key to WAi was to remove the barriers for aspiring makers and ease the pain of the process for makers who are already in the process," says Pro Hyunjoon Park.
"We wanted WAi to be an enabler for up-and-coming makers to get over the pre-funding hurdles, and for makers already in the process, to help them navigate the process. We designed it to answer questions that are unique to funding, like, 'Can I fund a product that I'm already selling?
In fact, the post-op phase of the project saw the highest usage of WAi (around 70%).
Hyunjun Park, a professional in the Service Design team who was in charge of planning WAi
Even makers with funding experience often come to WAi to do better, which is what Pro Park said impressed him the most.
"It's amazing to see that even makers who already have a lot of funding experience are using WAi to make their projects more complete, and I feel like WAi is becoming more than just a source of information, it's becoming a tool to help makers create better outcomes for themselves.
Today, WAi supports everything from the basic pre-funding process, to payments and reconciliation, to advertising questions that arise during operations. Thanks to its interactive structure, makers can get the information they need without having to navigate through the system, making the funding process more efficient.
Park adds that WAiwill evolveto become a natural part of the maker studio.
"We're looking to move beyond just chatting in the chat box, to working with each feature in MakerStudio to automatically suggest 'what you need, when you need it,' and our data, design, and development teams are working together to shape this feature."
In this article, we looked at how Wadizis using AI to make the funding journey easier for makers, and how WAi is becoming an assistant in solving makers' questions!
If WAi was there at the start of the funding, AI translation helps makers connect with global supporters by breaking down language barriers, and AI vetting automatically checks makers' stories.
In my next post, I'll talk more about how these two features are helping makers with their funding process and what insights they've generated.
WadizAI will always be by your side as your maker challenges become easier.
