Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce giant, is working on a new artificial intelligence project that aims to challenge the dominance of ChatGPT, the popular chatbot backed by Microsoft and OpenAI. The project, dubbed “Rakuten AI” or “RAI” for short, was announced by Rakuten’s CEO Hiroshi Mikitani at the company’s annual conference on Monday.
RAI: A new generative AI model for natural language
According to Mikitani, RAI is a generative AI model that can produce natural language texts on various topics and domains, such as e-commerce, entertainment, sports, and news. RAI can also engage in natural and coherent conversations with users, similar to ChatGPT. However, Mikitani claimed that RAI has some unique advantages over ChatGPT, such as:
- RAI can handle multiple languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, and French, and switch between them seamlessly. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is currently limited to English only.
- RAI can leverage Rakuten’s vast and diverse data sources, such as its e-commerce platform, streaming service, online travel agency, and mobile network, to generate more relevant and personalized texts and responses. ChatGPT, meanwhile, relies on a generic corpus of text scraped from the internet, which may not reflect the specific needs and preferences of users.
- RAI can integrate with Rakuten’s existing products and services, such as Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten TV, Rakuten Travel, and Rakuten Mobile, to provide enhanced user experience and customer satisfaction. ChatGPT, in contrast, is mainly available as a standalone product or through third-party platforms, such as Microsoft’s Bing.
Mikitani said that RAI is still in the development stage, but he expects to launch it to the public by the end of 2023. He also said that Rakuten will collaborate with other companies and organizations, such as universities, research institutes, and startups, to further improve and expand RAI’s capabilities and applications.
Rakuten’s AI vision and strategy
Mikitani said that RAI is part of Rakuten’s broader vision and strategy to become a global leader in AI. He said that Rakuten has been investing heavily in AI research and development, as well as acquiring and partnering with AI companies and experts, such as Ascent Robotics, DeepEye, and Oussama Khatib. He also said that Rakuten has established several AI labs and centers around the world, such as in Tokyo, San Francisco, Paris, and Singapore, to foster innovation and collaboration in the field of AI.
Mikitani said that Rakuten’s AI vision and strategy are driven by three core principles:
- Customer-centricity: Rakuten aims to use AI to create value and delight for its customers, by understanding their needs, preferences, and behaviors, and providing them with personalized and tailored products and services.
- Diversity and inclusion: Rakuten strives to use AI to promote diversity and inclusion, by respecting and embracing different cultures, languages, and perspectives, and ensuring that its AI products and services are fair, ethical, and accessible to everyone.
- Social responsibility: Rakuten endeavors to use AI to contribute to social good, by addressing global challenges, such as poverty, education, health, and environment, and supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Mikitani said that Rakuten’s AI vision and strategy are aligned with its corporate mission, which is to “empower people and society through innovation and entrepreneurship”.
Rakuten’s AI challenges and opportunities
Mikitani acknowledged that Rakuten faces many challenges and opportunities in its AI journey. He said that one of the main challenges is to compete with other AI giants, such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Alibaba, as well as ChatGPT, which have more resources and experience in the field of AI. He also said that another challenge is to ensure that Rakuten’s AI products and services are safe, reliable, and trustworthy, and that they do not cause any harm or damage to users or society.
However, Mikitani also said that Rakuten has many opportunities and strengths in its AI journey. He said that one of the main opportunities is to leverage Rakuten’s unique and diverse ecosystem, which covers various industries and domains, such as e-commerce, media, finance, and telecommunications, and which has more than 1.4 billion users worldwide. He also said that another opportunity is to tap into Rakuten’s rich and diverse culture, which fosters creativity, innovation, and collaboration, and which attracts and retains talented and passionate people.
Mikitani concluded his speech by expressing his confidence and optimism about Rakuten’s AI future. He said that Rakuten is committed to pursuing its AI vision and strategy, and that he believes that RAI will be a game-changer and a breakthrough in the field of AI. He also said that he hopes that RAI will bring joy and happiness to Rakuten’s customers and society, and that he invites everyone to join and support Rakuten’s AI journey.
