Rakuten to Introduce Innovative AI Language Model Imminently

The eminent Japanese e-commerce company, Rakuten, has officially stated its intent to unveil a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) language model within the next two months. This strategic move positions Rakuten on the technological frontline alongside other major industry players.

Rakuten's Foray into AI

Under the guidance of CEO Hiroshi 'Mickey' Mikitani, Rakuten is developing a large language model (LLM) powered by AI, which is expected to be distinctive due to the company's access to a wide-ranging and unique dataset gathered from several sectors such as banking, telecom, and e-commerce.

The intention behind this innovation is to leverage their unique dataset to augment the effectiveness of Rakuten's operational and marketing endeavors by an estimated 20%. Furthermore, Rakuten aspires to commercialize this technology by making it available to other companies, potentially rivalling tech giants such as Amazon and Microsoft.

Competitive Edge and Profitable Growth

While American and Chinese corporations, like OpenAI, Amazon, Google, Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, have made headway with their own LLMs, Japanese firms are quickly bridging the technology gap. Significant progress was marked by telecom giant NTT, who released their LLM earlier, and SoftBank, which initiated its AI computing platform in November.

According to Mikitani, investing in AI technologies is likely to result in 'huge profitable growth' for Rakuten. With AI gaining momentum as a pivotal tool in modern business strategy, as evidenced by its prevalence in recent earnings discussions, Rakuten's venture into the AI apex presents an opportunity to harness their unique data for a competitive advantage.

The Global Significance

The move is even more crucial as it emerges against the backdrop of the European Union closing in on AI technology regulation, underscoring the significance of AI on a global tech stage. Rakuten's entry into this domain is timely, promising to enhance and possibly reshape future business strategies.

Rakuten, AI, Technology