Tech & Innovation

  • Blog

    Inside Rakuten AI: Guangda Li on reinventing customer experiences with GenAI

    In this series, we sit down with Rakuten AI leaders for a deep dive into the stories behind this transformative technology and the inspiring individuals driving Rakuten’s vision of AI for all. Watch this interview and others in the Inside Rakuten AI series on our YouTube channel. Generative AI (GenAI) is revolutionizing how we shop, travel and live, offering hyper-personalized experiences that del…

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  • Blog
    Rakuten's autonomous delivery service in Tokyo, launched in November 2024, expanded in February 2025 with the addition of new robots from Avride.

    Rakuten’s robot revolution rolls up on Tokyo

    A glimpse of Japan’s robotic future has rolled into Tokyo. In November 2024, Rakuten launched a new autonomous delivery service in Tokyo’s Harumi neighborhood. As the name suggests, the service employs autonomous robots to deliver products from a number of local supermarkets, cafes and restaurants, serving around 24,000 households. In February 2025, this roster of rolling robots was boosted by the…

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  • Blog
    Rakuten brought global guests together at MWC Barcelona for a diverse schedule of theater presentations and interactive experiences with tech leaders.

    From matcha to milestones: Rakuten’s week at MWC 2025

    MWC Barcelona 2025 has come to a close, and what a week it was! The world’s largest and most influential connectivity event saw 109,000 visitors from 205 countries convene in Barcelona to discuss the future of the industry, marking a return to pre-pandemic attendance levels. Over the span of four jam-packed days at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, 2,900 exhibitors and an extensive conference program m…

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  • Blog
    At the IDR User Forum 2024, Rakuten demonstrated its commitment to advancing the future of AI by fostering collaboration between academia and industry.

    Rakuten at the IDR User Forum 2024: Inspiring the Next Generation of AI Innovators

    At the IDR User Forum 2024, held on December 13 in Tokyo, Rakuten once again demonstrated its commitment to advancing the future of AI by fostering collaboration between academia and industry. Organized by the National Institute of Informatics (NII), the forum serves as a platform for researchers, students and data providers to exchange ideas and showcase innovative projects. Rakuten, a long-time…

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  • Tech & Innovation
    Ting Cai on Rakuten’s embrace of AI 2.0

    Ting Cai on Rakuten’s embrace of AI 2.0

    “There is no AI without humans. But humans with AI can achieve so much more.” Speaking at the most recent Rakuten Technology Conference, Chief AI & Data Officer Ting Cai shared Rakuten’s strategic vision for artificial intelligence and addressed the unprecedented scale of industry investment, which has reached into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Why are all these co…

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  • Blog
    For Shaimay Shah, a data scientist in Rakuten Group’s AI & Data Division, Rakuten presents an unique opportunity to explore the business possibilities of this new AI wave.

    Inside Rakuten AI: Shaimay Shah on driving Rakuten’s AI transformation

    In this series, we sit down with Rakuten AI leaders for a deep dive into the stories behind this transformative technology and the inspiring individuals driving Rakuten’s vision of AI for all. Watch this interview and others in the Inside Rakuten AI Series on our YouTube channel. Rakuten is re-shaping how businesses operate, and people work by integrating AI into everyday job processes. At the hea…

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  • Blog
    Rakuten Mobile has launched Rakuten AI for Business, a bold new service empowering Japanese businesses take advantage of GenAI, regardless of technical proficiency.

    Introducing Rakuten AI for Business: A GenAI solution empowering Japanese businesses

    Rakuten Mobile has launched a bold new service to empower corporate customers in Japan: Rakuten AI for Business. The service will allow companies in Japan large and small to take advantage of generative AI, regardless of technical proficiency. Source: Japan SME AI survey by Rakuten and Edelman Data & Intelligence A recent survey of 300 Japanese SME business owners and decision-makers, commissi…

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  • Blog
    Image shows the design of the Rakuten booth at MWC 2025. The red color booth has the Rakuten logo on top and has areas for demos, meetings and sessions.

    Rakuten offers blueprint for Intelligent Growth at MWC Barcelona 2025

    How can telcos, tech firms and everything in between achieve “Intelligent Growth” in their respective markets? What tools and approaches must organizations adopt to stay competitive in our ever-shifting business landscape? At Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2025 – the world’s largest and most influential connectivity event – Rakuten will offer answers to those pressing questions and more, sh…

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  • Blog
    Ampere Computing Chief Evangelist and Vice President of Business Development Sean Varley, Qualcomm Marketing Director Hiroshi Izumi and Rakuten Group Executive Officer and CTO of the Technology Platforms Division Rohit Dewan speak about sustainable AI computing and its implications on energy consumption.

    Efficiency meets sustainability to revolutionize AI compute: Empowering data centers of the future

    While AI continues to transform the tech industry at unprecedented speed, companies are increasingly facing obstacles around energy consumption, rising costs and data center capacity. At Rakuten Technology Conference 2024, a session on “The Future of Responsible AI Compute” addressed these critical issues and highlighted the urgent need for sustainable solutions. Ampere Computing Chief Evangelist…

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