Investing.com- Mobile messengers such as WeChat, Line are preparing to embed “agents” with AI into their platforms. Analysts say that everyday chat apps can be transformed into services that allow users to shop, book taxis and handle basic tasks without leaving the conversation screen.
Morgan Stanley says that Asian messaging apps are likely the first mainstream platform to lead AI agents to the masses. These tools work beyond chatbots like digital assistants embedded deep into existing services such as shopping and payments.
MS analysts say messaging apps are already a daily habit of hundreds of millions of people in Asia, and are in a stronger position than standalone AI apps to drive mass adoption.
If successful, these platforms could become “SuperApps,” a new revenue stream that has third-party developers joined the ecosystem.
While it is expected to tap on its own AI model to bolster its new services on WeChat, the region's largest messaging platform, Line and Kakao are working with Openai.
Although the transformation is still in its early stages, Morgan Stanley says the benefits are still not priced on the shares of Kakao or Line owner Kakao.
It raised its price target for cocoa, reiterating its overweight view on Tencent, adding that Ly Corp's AI potential remains largely ignored by the market.
Risks include poor user recruitment, competition with large internet companies, or global AI players who bypass messaging apps entirely.
However, if integration is seamless, AI agents can push messaging services well beyond simple text, allowing users to trigger the next stage of how they interact with their phones and how the platform makes money.
