NE Launches Official Version of "Help Bot" for Next Engine, Aiding Self-Resolution with AI Manual Search and Reference Images

NE Corporation (Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa; President & CEO: Noriyoshi Higo; hereinafter "NE") has launched the official version of its "Help Bot" for the SaaS-based EC backend system "Next Engine," which uses AI to search manuals and provide answers.

The Help Bot is a support function that answers questions regarding Next Engine's operating procedures and specifications by referencing relevant manuals. Through trial operations from the end of November 2025 to May 28, 2026, we have verified and improved aspects such as question trends, answer quality, response speed, and accuracy of referenced manuals.

The official version boasts a response speed from question input to answer display that is up to 10 times faster than before, and also implements a function that automatically displays reference images, such as screenshots of the operation screen, depending on the content of the question.

This will make it easier for EC businesses to resolve doubts about operating methods and specifications more quickly and intuitively, regardless of the support desk's business hours.

■ Background: The Need for a Self-Resolution Experience That Doesn't Halt EC Operations

We receive many inquiries from Next Engine users regarding daily operational procedures and detailed specifications.

In particular, establishing a system that allows users to quickly access necessary information and resolve doubts, even outside of support desk hours or on holidays, has been a critical challenge in preventing EC operations from stagnating.

To address these challenges, NE has been verifying and improving question trends, answer quality, response speed, and the accuracy of referenced manuals through the trial operation of the "Help Bot," which automatically searches manuals and provides answers using AI.

The launch of the official version is in response to the growing need for self-resolution in EC operations, aiming to resolve doubts about operating methods and specifications more quickly and provide an environment where store operations are less likely to be halted.

■ Key Improvements in the Official Version

1. Improved Response Speed (Up to 10x Faster than Before)
By optimizing internal systems, we have significantly reduced the waiting time from question input to AI answer display. This achieves a high-speed response of "up to 10 times faster" compared to the past.

* Comparison of response speed from question input to answer display, based on our measurements during the trial operation period.

2. Enhanced Visual Support with Automatic Display of "Reference Images"
We have implemented a function that allows AI to analyze the user's question and simultaneously display "reference images," such as screenshots of the operation screen, in addition to textual explanations. This reduces the effort of searching manuals and promotes visual and intuitive self-resolution.

Screen: Image of the Help Bot screen display

■ Future Outlook: Towards a Support Experience Where Necessary Information Can Be Accessed Without Hesitation

NE aims to evolve the Help Bot from a mere inquiry response efficiency tool into a support experience that allows EC businesses to access necessary operational knowledge and specification information at the right time without hesitation.

NE's Mission is to "Build the Invisible Engine." This aims to create a state where the necessary information, decision-making materials, and business processes are naturally supported without EC businesses having to consciously think about them in their daily operations.

With the official version of the Help Bot, we will shorten the time required for checking operating methods and specifications through AI manual search, improved response speed, and automatic display of reference images, thereby supporting the self-resolution of EC businesses. This will help create an environment where more time can be dedicated to value creation activities such as sales promotion planning, product development, and customer support, without halting daily operations like order processing and inventory management.

Furthermore, NE's Vision is "Commerce OS for the Agent Era." In an era where AI agents are involved in purchasing and business decisions, it is crucial not only for business data such as products, inventory, and orders, but also for knowledge information such as operating procedures, specifications, FAQs, and support knowledge to be correctly understood by AI and appropriately delivered to users.

NE has been working to establish a development infrastructure that makes it easier for AI agents and AI development support tools to refer to specifications by revamping the Next Engine API manual. The official version of the Help Bot is an initiative to evolve self-resolution using AI in the support experience that EC businesses encounter daily.

Moving forward, we will improve answer accuracy based on question trends and usage, enhance the display accuracy of reference images and related manuals, and strengthen collaboration with support desks, thereby evolving Next Engine into a SaaS-based EC backend system that allows EC businesses to access necessary information more naturally.

■ About Next Engine

Next Engine is a cloud (SaaS) based EC platform for EC businesses. It centralizes the operations necessary for running an online store, including order management, order placement, procurement, inventory management, product information management, and analysis, thereby supporting efficient operations.

Key features include:

Consolidation of essential online store functions, from centralized management of orders, inventory, and product information to analysis.
Supports over 50 malls, one of the largest in the industry.
Flexible functionality expansion through Next Engine Apps.
Provides a platform for developing and selling Next Engine Apps.
Over 6,700 companies contracted.

Next Engine will continue to support the growth of EC businesses and strive for further evolution as the EC backend infrastructure for the AI agent era.

URL: https://next-engine.net

■ About NE Corporation

Under the corporate culture of "Commerce ni Kyoetsu. Love Commerce." (Enthusiasm for Commerce. Love Commerce.), we develop SaaS and support services that underpin the growth of EC businesses. We promote our business across three domains: EC support/SaaS business, consulting business, and regional revitalization/local government support business, aiming to establish our position as the commerce infrastructure for the AI agent era.

Company Name: NE Corporation
President & CEO: Noriyoshi Higo
Headquarters Address: EPIC TOWER SHIN YOKOHAMA 16F, 3-2-3 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa
Established: May 2, 2022
Stock Exchange Listing: Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (Securities Code: 441A)
Capital Stock: 272,500 thousand yen (as of January 31, 2026)
Business Description: EC support/SaaS business, consulting business, regional revitalization/local government support business
Corporate Website: https://ne-inc.jp
Vision/Mission Page: https://ne-inc.jp/vision-mission/

■ Inquiries Regarding This Matter

NE Corporation Public Relations
Email: pr@ne-inc.jp
Phone: 03-4540-6512