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 supporter of the event, played a central role in inspiring the next generation of AI researchers by sharing its expertise and datasets* with the academic community.

Empowering students through data

Rakuten’s participation in the IDR User Forum is part of its broader mission to democratize AI and make cutting-edge tools and data accessible to everyone. Through its collaboration with NII’s Informatics Research Data Repository (IDR) scheme, Rakuten provides datasets to over 200 university laboratories across Japan. These datasets, which include customer reviews* and product descriptions, have become some of the most popular resources for academic research in the program.

By making its data available, Rakuten empowers students and researchers to tackle real-world challenges and develop innovative AI solutions. The IDR User Forum provides a unique opportunity for these researchers to present their findings, connect with industry professionals and explore how their work can be applied in practical settings.

Rakuten leveraging AI to improve user experiences

Representing Rakuten at this year’s forum was Yuki Nakayama, a Research Scientist from Rakuten’s AI & Data Division, User Demand Analysis Team. Nakayama, who has a unique connection to the IDR program, was once a student conducting research in natural language processing (NLP) using Rakuten’s datasets through the IDR initiative. His journey from being a student researcher to joining Rakuten as a professional exemplifies the transformative power of collaboration between academia and industry.

Nakayama’s experience highlights how access to real-world public data can empower students to make meaningful contributions to AI research and even transition into roles where they can empower others.

At the forum, Nakayama delivered a presentation titled  “Research Cases and Public Datasets from Rakuten Group,” where he highlighted Rakuten’s use of NLP technologies to enhance its services. From filtering harmful text to building large language models (LLMs) and applying aspect-based sentiment analysis, Nakayama shared real-world examples of how Rakuten leverages AI to improve user experiences.

During the poster session, Nakayama engaged with students and researchers, discussing their projects and offering insights into how Rakuten’s datasets can be utilized for impactful research. Later, in the data provider session, he delivered a lightning round talk and interacted with attendees at Rakuten’s poster booth, providing a closer look at the company’s contributions to AI research.

Advancing explainable AI for recommendations

The event concluded with a networking session, where Nakayama interviewed Hiroki Yasuda, a 2nd-year master’s student of Ichise Laboratory from the Institute of Science Tokyo and recipient of the DBSJ (Database Society of Japan) Special Award, given for outstanding presentations.

Yasuda’s research on explainable AI (XAI) for hotel recommendation systems utilized Rakuten Travel’s review data, which he discovered through the IDR User Forum introduced by his advisor, Professor Ichise. By leveraging aspect-based customer review data, he developed a system that not only suggests hotels but also provides clear, personalized explanations, addressing common challenges in existing recommendation systems. Yasuda shared that this research experience not only strengthened his skills in data analysis but also inspired him to pursue a career in data science where he can apply his work to create real-world value for users and businesses.

Building bridges between academia and industry

Rakuten’s collaboration with NII and its active participation in the IDR User Forum highlights the company’s dedication to fostering innovation and building bridges between academia and industry. By sharing its datasets and expertise, Rakuten not only advances its own AI capabilities but also inspires students to pursue groundbreaking research and equips them with the tools to make meaningful contributions to the field of AI.

Rakuten’s commitment to democratizing AI and supporting academic research underscores its role as a leader in the field, ensuring that the benefits of AI are accessible to all.

*All datasets referenced in this article are publicly available only for research purposes to university laboratories and do not include any confidential or personally identifiable user information.