Line unveils credit scoring, an AI receptionist and other new services

Line Corp. has unveiled new services, from credit scoring to an AI-powered robot receptionist, as the operator of Japan's dominant messaging platform seeks to expand beyond chat. Line Score will rate users based on information they provide as well as their interactions with other services on the platform. That will determine interest rates and credit limits for a loan service set to be available this summer, executives said Thursday. The company is trying to move away from an advertising-reliant business model as its user growth plateaus, doubling down on financial services powered by artificial intelligence. Last year the firm raised ¥148 billion ($1.4 billion) in a convertible bond sale to help fund that expansion.