Makebot, an AI specialist company based on artificial intelligence, has been publishing a Chatbot Trend Report every year since 2018, reflecting the trends of the chatbot industry through its own local research in major countries of the APAC (Asia-Pacific) region.
As a leader in the chatbot market, Makebot suggests ample growth potential through its ambition to expand business beyond Korea to the entire APAC region, based on successful domestic cases driven by market expansion and the spread of non-face-to-face chatbot services, as well as through the Chatbot Trend Report.
Similar to last year, the APAC Chatbot Trend Report 2023 targets five Asian countries: Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India, attracting global attention.
- What type of chatbot services do you want to experience?
Respondents in the APAC region have shown a rapid increase in chatbot solution adoption due to the impact of the pandemic and fast market growth. They express interest in the potential of chatbots and indicate needs regarding the advancement of chatbot technology and essential services that companies must provide through chatbots.
According to the survey results, 37% of respondents said that food ordering chatbots are essential, followed by shopping chatbots (35%), airline chatbots (34%), healthcare chatbots (33%), financial chatbots (32%), and beauty chatbots (32%).
- A glance at South Korea
The report shows that Koreans are very familiar with chatbots, with 84% of respondents having experienced chatbots. Among all surveyed countries, Korean respondents were the most likely to use chatbots to communicate with companies, and more than half preferred using chatbots for product or service inquiries, delivery, and returns.
Korean respondents, who are accustomed to chatbot technology, have high expectations for food ordering chatbots, personal schedule management, and public institution chatbots, and the actual adoption rate of chatbots in these industries is also high.
- A glance at Japan
Japan showed the lowest familiarity and acceptance of chatbots among the surveyed countries. Considering cultural differences, Japanese companies generally adopt connecting to professional consultants as a way to resolve customer inquiries and concerns.
However, in recent years, with the increased use of technology-based customer service solutions such as chatbots and online self-service portals, awareness of chatbots among Japanese people has gradually changed. Japanese respondents indicated a desire to use chatbots for product service inquiries, order changes and cancellations, and problem resolution, suggesting positive prospects.
- A glance at Hong Kong
Hong Kong shows a trend similar to Korea, with the majority of respondents (62%) having used chatbots, and indicators show active use of chatbots for product service inquiries and reservations.
The most preferred chatbot services among Hong Kong respondents are airline chatbots (42%), food ordering chatbots (39%), and beauty and personal care chatbots (34%). Hong Kong perceives companies and brands using chatbots as prioritizing investment in customer service, reflecting a positive perception.
- A glance at Singapore
According to the report, Singaporean respondents are very likely to use chatbots to communicate with brands, specifically preferring chatbots for product service inquiries (59%) and problem resolution (46%).
Notably, 78% of respondents emphasized the importance of personal data handling, making Singapore the most sensitive country regarding personal information protection among the surveyed nations. This suggests that companies must prioritize transparent data security policies to build customer trust and loyalty.
- A glance at India
Among APAC countries, India was found to have the highest level of chatbot usage ability, with 88% of respondents already using chatbot services and being very familiar with them.
Indian respondents show a strong willingness to engage with companies and brands through chatbots, expressing high favorability and satisfaction. According to the report, the majority of Indian respondents use chatbots for problem resolution (66%), product service inquiries (65%), and delivery/return-related questions (52%).
Additionally, 41% expressed interest in using new technologies in customer service, positioning India as the country with the highest expectations and potential for chatbot services.
The growth and success of the chatbot industry depend on customer experience and improvement. The survey results highlight five key outcomes: creating potential business opportunities, reducing chatbot error rates, sophisticated data security, multilingual service provision, and ChatGPT integration, providing companies and brands with directions and visions for the future.
Makebot CEO Jiwoong Kim stated, “This is an indicator showing that chatbot demand and needs are very high not only in Korea but also in Asian countries,” adding, “Makebot will continue to release global chatbot trend reports and develop successful chatbot services, leading and presenting new trends in the chatbot industry across the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide.”
Meanwhile, Makebot is a leading domestic chatbot industry company contributing to the spread of chatbots in various industries such as aviation, finance, education, and healthcare. Since 2018, it has published a global chatbot trend report annually, guiding the development direction of the chatbot industry in Asia and worldwide. It provides successful multilingual chatbot services to multinational clients and users, contributing to the advancement of the chatbot industry.
The APAC Chatbot Trend Report 2023 is available for download on the Makebot website, and detailed information can be found on the homepage.
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