Kintone AI Lab launches to simplify app building for all users

Kintone has announced the launch of Kintone AI Lab, a generative AI service designed to help businesses create custom-built business applications by translating simple text commands, eliminating the need for developer or coding skills.

Kintone AI Lab is now available as a free beta service embedded into the Kintone platform. The new service targets a wide audience - including both small and medium-sized businesses and larger enterprises - by enabling staff to design applications and manage workflows using conversational chat commands.

The newly launched tool is aimed at tackling several challenges facing businesses. These include high costs of custom software development, complexities surrounding digital transformation, and the widespread shortage of skilled IT personnel. In doing so, Kintone AI Lab aspires to support ongoing digitalisation initiatives in countries such as Singapore and Japan, while making digital tools more accessible to teams of all sizes and skill levels.

Asuka Yamada, Head of AI Product Marketing at Cybozu, explained the need for such a service, stating, "From our conversations with business owners globally, a common frustration is the belief that custom software or AI is out of reach - too expensive, too complicated, and requiring developers they can't find or afford."

"Kintone AI Lab was created to break down these barriers. We're putting the power to innovate directly into the hands of the employees who know their business best. If you can describe a business problem in a chat, you can now build an app to solve it."

Among the capabilities offered by Kintone AI Lab is the AI App Creator, which interprets user requests entered into a chat window, such as "I need an app to track customer inquiries," and recommends a suitable application structure and fields. In addition, the AI Process Creator feature assists users in configuring workflows and approval processes, converting manual, paper-based tasks into digital systems through an intuitive chat-based interface.

The company states that these capabilities allow organisations to empower existing employees to address operational challenges and initiate digital transformation projects without extensive external support. This approach encourages companies to start with small-scale initiatives, achieve measurable improvements, and expand their digitalisation efforts in a manageable way.

Kintone AI Lab also emphasises security and data privacy. The service incorporates enterprise-grade security measures, including strict permission settings managed via the Kintone platform. Importantly, the company states that no user data from Kintone AI Lab will be used to train external generative AI models, with all data remaining on Cybozu's infrastructure platform.

Yamada highlighted the broader vision behind Kintone AI Lab and its intended impact on workplace culture: "Our vision is to foster more collaborative and human-centered workplaces worldwide. We see a future where digital transformation is driven from the ground up, where anyone, regardless of technical background, can confidently harness AI and drive innovation. With Kintone AI Lab, we've built a secure, intuitive feature for everyday users, ensuring peace of mind while unlocking greater inclusion, creativity, and empowered teamwork in any organization, anywhere."

The Kintone AI Lab beta is now available to Kintone customers in various locations worldwide, including the United States, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Users can access new AI features via their account settings, with further capabilities expected to be introduced in subsequent updates as development continues.

Cybozu, the parent company of Kintone, has a longstanding presence in the software sector since 1997 and has emphasised the importance of teamwork, data security, and user empowerment through its products. According to company information, Kintone is currently used by over 38,000 organisations globally and has powered more than 2 million business applications.