LINE THAILAND DEVELOPER CONFERENCE 2024 Unveils New Trends for Developers,

LINE THAILAND DEVELOPER CONFERENCE 2024 Unveils New Trends for Developers, Highlighting the Integration of LINE API with AI to Propel Thai Innovation Forward

The LINE THAILAND DEVELOPER CONFERENCE 2024 concluded successfully, celebrating its fifth year as Thailand’s technology conference. Under the theme “Building the Future with LINE API and AI,” the event showcased the power of connecting LINE API with AI technology to enhance services and innovations in Thailand. Attendees gained valuable insights into emerging trends and best practices for modern developers through perspectives from LINE developers in Thailand and experts across the technology sector, receiving excellent feedback from over 700 participants in attendance.

Updates on LINE API Technology to Address Thai Developers’ Needs

Mr. Weera Kasetsin, Chief Product Officer at LINE Thailand, emphasized that LINE remains committed to being an open platform for Thais, focusing on providing opportunities for developers to participate in creating more effective innovations that meet user needs. This year, LINE presented several exciting updates on LINE API technology for Thai developers, including:

• Messaging API: A technology for connecting servers to LINE chat rooms, with a record of 540,000 chatbots created this year in Thailand—a 70% increase from last year, with key updated functions recently as below:
  • Bot Mention: allows chatbots in LINE to mention individual group members or all members in a chat group.
  • Loading Animation API: function to help developers create animations to indicate ‘processing’ status during command execution, enhancing user experience.
  • Narrowcast API: Expanded target age options for messaging to followers aged 50-70 years, providing Thai developers with greater opportunities to create chatbots that serve a broader range of user groups.
• LIFF Technology: one of LINE API technology that allows developers to create web pages directly within the LINE app. This year, significant advancements have been made with the introduction of LIFF CLI, which provides developers with a centralized system to easily list, create, update, and delete LIFF apps within their channels. Additionally, the new LIFF SDK version 2.24.0 has been released, enhancing functionalities such as image scanning efficiency and enabling developers to check the language settings of users in the LINE app. This ensures a personalized user experience tailored to each individual’s language preferences.

Additionally, LINE has unveiled an exciting roadmap for the development of other LINE API technologies in the future, including the LINE MINI App. This channel allows developers and service providers to create their own web applications (App-in-App) on LINE. It will enable general developers to create and launch services as Unverified MINI Apps in the future without needing LINE’s prior approval while the previous Verified MINI Apps will still require LINE’s verification to ensure user trust, along with some additional enhanced features and capabilities.

New Trends Connecting LINE API with AI

The integration of AI as an essential tool for enhancing service quality on LINE, is a notable trend among modern Thai developers. The conference highlighted real service examples and innovative ideas utilizing LINE API together with AI from various organizations:

• ARINCARE: A telepharmacy startup in Thailand, has integrated Generative AI, specifically Gemini, with the LINE Messaging API to develop an AI chatbot. This chatbot is designed to inquire about patients’ initial symptoms, summarize the information, and forward it to pharmacists for diagnosis and medication recommendations. It effectively supports patients and alleviates the burden on pharmacists by handling the numerous inquiries received daily via LINE Official Account (OA).
• CJ Express: A major retail business with over 800 branches nationwide, has employed Gemini AI and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) techniques to enhance its chatbot system on LINE OA. This allows customers to search for products using voice and image recognition, as well as by specific branches. The system can accurately respond to various customer inquiries regarding product information, creating an improved shopping experience through the LINE chatbot.

• B.A.A.S. by BeTask Consulting: Develop AI system solutions to assist Thai SMEs that lack time to manage queues for services. The system analyzes and identifies available queues at stores while automatically searching for and compiling lists of potential customers. Additionally, it facilitates stores in creating comprehensive campaign content through the system. Various AI technologies, including Gemini and Vertex AI, are applied to transform data, analyze, and process various information from the stores, both in terms of finding new target customers and creating campaign content. It also utilizes Messaging API to create Flex Messages, allowing stores to choose preferred message formats before sending them to customers, and communicates messages via Narrowcast API to reach customers on LINE OA effectively.
• Inventory Management Idea on LINE SHOPPING: LINE Thailand developers have proposed a concept using ChatGPT combined with LINE’s Messaging API and LINE SHOPPING API, making inventory management on LINE SHOPPING simpler than ever. With this idea, merchants could easily manage their stock by entering commands in text or voice format, allowing the chatbot to automatically update store information based on these commands.
• Voice Assistant Fortune Telling Idea: Another innovative concept from LINE Thailand developers is a voice-based fortune-telling service, integrating OpenAI technology with LINE’s Messaging API. This chatbot would allow users to ask for predictions or lucky numbers via voice, analyze the results using AI, and respond with natural-sounding replies. This would make fortune-telling simpler and more convenient than ever.

Enhancing Developer Efficiency with AI

In addition to developing services using AI technology, Thai developers are currently leveraging AI to enhance work efficiency. A noteworthy example comes from SCB TechX, which has integrated Generative AI, specifically Guardrails AI, into the design and development of various LINE chatbots. This integration helps prevent the chatbot system from presenting or responding to users with inappropriate or irrelevant content, thereby improving stability and effectiveness. LINE chatbots can now deliver information and results in a safe and reliable manner.

Moreover, LINE Thailand has revealed a significant surprise for Thai developers and startups by the announcement of LINE ScaleUp, a program designed to promote Thai startups, helping them grow and succeed further. This initiative offers support in terms of platform resources and expert guidance, providing opportunities for collaboration with LINE and expanding market reach by connecting with regional investors. Interested startups can follow updates on the LINE ScaleUp program at http://www.linescaleup.com/.

For developers and IT professionals seeking information on news and activities related to LINE technology, can stay updated through LINE OA: @linedevth and the Facebook page of LINE Developers Thailand.