Rakuten joins hands with HP Japan to bring Rakuten AI to Desktop
This week, Rakuten and HP Japan came together at Rakuten’s Tokyo headquarters to announce a major milestone in personal computing and artificial intelligence: next-generation PCs that bring intelligence everywhere you go.
Under this collaboration, Rakuten AI — the company’s intelligent AI platform, which launched this summer — will be integrated into HP’s PCs, enabling users to access Rakuten AI agents offline for the first time. The Rakuten AI desktop version is planned to be available pre-bundled on HP’s consumers and commercial devices in Japan from Spring to Summer 2026.
The collaboration brings Rakuten Group, whose broad business ecosystem reaches over 1.9 billion members across the globe, and HP Japan, a global technology leader, together to pioneer the next generation of hybrid AI-powered personal computing.
Advantages of an On-Device AI Platform vs. Browser-Based Access
What are the advantages of having an on-device AI platform instead of accessing it through a browser? Rakuten Group’s Chief AI & Data Officer, Ting Cai, highlighted three major advantages of installing a large language model (LLM)-powered hybrid AI app directly on your device rather than relying on browser-based access:
- Offline Access – You can use a number of Rakuten’s specialized AI agents to do critical tasks like summarization and writing with on-device files anytime, anywhere without needing an internet connection.
- Instant Responsiveness – On-device AI delivers immediate results, eliminating the delays often experienced with cloud-based solutions.
- Enhanced Privacy – By processing data locally, Rakuten AI for desktop ensures that your confidential information stays on your device, offering a higher level of privacy for work involving sensitive data.
As Cai explained, “Whether you are at work, home, or on an airplane, you can access our specialized agents for uninterrupted productivity. Online you’ll have seamless access to the Rakuten Ecosystem. Moreover, compared to working on a cloud-connected browser, Rakuten AI for desktop offers enhanced privacy by running tasks directly on local devices.”
Two tech leaders come together to increase AI adoption across Japan
This strategic collaboration not only signifies a pivotal shift in AI-powered personal computing but also creates a significant opportunity to bolster AI adoption throughout Japan. Earlier this year, the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications highlighted in its 2025 white paper that the nation is lagging in AI utilization, with only 26.7% of individuals reporting having used AI tools in fiscal year 2024.
Leveraging their distinct strengths, Rakuten and HP Japan are poised to address this gap. “This collaboration began from a shared vision between two companies that the future of AI lies in hybrid AI,” said Nobuki Okado, Managing Director, HP Japan, “Rakuten brings its expertise in AI and LLM technologies rooted in Japanese language, while HP offers deep know-how in implementing on-device AI on PCs.”
About Rakuten AI for desktop – Rakuten’s hybrid intelligent platform
Rakuten AI for desktop developed by Rakuten and designed for AI PCs, is powered by Rakuten’s efficient, Japanese-optimized large language models (LLMs) integrated directly into devices. Its hybrid offline and online usage model offers privacy by running sensitive AI tasks directly on local devices, significantly reducing cloud dependency and associated costs.
The Rakuten AI platform provides specialized agents and seamless access to the Rakuten Ecosystem – from fintech and e-commerce to travel and telecom – enhancing productivity and daily life for users. Users can browse for products on Rakuten Ichiba, generate videos and images, transcribe meeting notes, create personalized travel itineraries, and more – all within a matter of seconds.
Rakuten AI is available on browser at www.rakuten.ai.co.jp.
