Rakuten AI

Augment Human Creativity with the Power of AI

Over 25 years ago, Rakuten was founded with the mission to contribute to society, by creating value through innovation and entrepreneurship.

Today, we continue our pursuit of that mission through AI-nization, our company-wide effort to infuse AI into everything we do for customers, business partners, and employees.

We strive to create a future where the power of AI is accessible to everyone - everywhere, on every device, at every moment of their day.

Our Principles:

Rakuten Group Uniqueness

With more than 70 businesses worldwide serving 2B* members, the domain expertise of approximately 30,000 Rakutenians, and insights gleaned from trillions of interactions over 25 years, we have the data, industry perspective, technical acumen, and global distribution to build and deliver practical and valuable AI solutions that are accessible for everyone.

*Data from year 2024

Rooted in Omotenashi

We cherish the spirit of Omotenashi, the Japanese concept of ultimate service. Every product and service endeavors to anticipate customer needs before they arise to deliver experiences that surprise and delight.

Ethics and Security

We relentlessly pursue innovation, but never compromise on safety, security, or privacy. Our work is guided by the Rakuten AI Code of Ethics, and we employ cutting-edge technical safeguards, and human oversight at every phase of the design, development, and deployment pipeline to ensure that Rakuten AI benefits everyone, and all of society.

Go to Responsible AI

Our Commitment to AI initiatives

Rakuten Group implements and utilizes AI in diverse areas, ranging from lifestyle innovation and business efficiency improvements to solving social challenges. Through the power of AI, we pioneer the future, making daily life and business more convenient, and empowering people and society.

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Rakuten AI Visual Identity

Innovation
Innovation Embodies how Rakuten AI leverages the unlimited potential of AI to push and break boundaries.
Creativity
Creativity Expresses Rakuten AI’s dedication to unleashing every customer’s unique potential and vibrant humanity.
Colorful Collaboration
Colorful Collaboration Evokes Rakuten AI's mission of forging a world where humans and AI work together to drive productivity, creativity, and deeper connections across the ecosystem.

This logo is used across a wide range of Rakuten Group services.
With Rakuten AI, we at Rakuten are committed to being a trusted partner that can accompany at every moment of your day to empower your dreams and personal and professional growth. We are dedicated to using the power of AI to make the world better for everyone.

FAQ

  • Q1.What is Rakuten AI?
    A1.

    Rakuten AI is the collective brand for all AI services and technologies provided by Rakuten Group.

    Key areas of Rakuten AI:

    AI for General Customers:

    AI-powered features and agents integrated into services within the Rakuten Ecosystem, such as Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Travel, and Rakuten Mobile, as well as dedicated Rakuten AI applications.

    AI for Business:

    AI solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency and address business challenges for corporate clients, such as Rakuten AI for Business.

    Language Models (LLM/SLM):

    High-performance models developed by Rakuten, built on open-source foundations and optimized to provide a deep understanding of the Japanese language and cultural context.

    Deep Learning Technologies:

    Advanced capabilities, including semantic search and recommendation engines, that analyze user intent and context to deliver optimal information.

  • Q2.What makes the AI used in the Rakuten Ecosystem special?
    A2.

    Rakuten AI leverages the vast data generated across the Rakuten Group’s diverse service portfolio to provide a highly personalized experience for each customer.

    Anticipating customer needs:

    By utilizing AI to analyze consumption behavior—such as purchase history and search patterns linked to a customer's Rakuten ID—we provide information and product recommendations aligned with individual goals.

    Seamless ecosystem integration:

    We utilize AI trained on data specific to each service within the Rakuten Ecosystem. This enables a seamless, end-to-end user experience—from searching and discovery to comparison and purchase—all within a unified environment.

  • Q3.What are the key features of the language models developed by Rakuten Group?
    A3.

    Rakuten Group adopts a hybrid approach by balancing strategic partnerships with leading AI providers with in-house model development. Our language models are built on open-source foundations and further refined using Rakuten’s proprietary high-quality datasets and years of research and technical expertise. We offer a diverse range of models tailored to specific operational requirements including:

    Deep understanding of Japanese language and culture:

    By applying proprietary filtering and annotation processes to construct high-quality datasets, our models achieve a profound understanding of Japanese nuances, cultural context, and business customs, enabling the generation of natural and contextually appropriate responses.

    Fair and reliable output:

    We have developed and implemented specialized datasets for safety and bias mitigation as part of our post-training process. Furthermore, we conduct evaluations using independent datasets to assess various forms of bias, ensuring the delivery of fair and reliable information.

    Scalability for diverse applications:

    We have constructed a range of models, from large-scale models with approximately 700 billion parameters to compact, high-efficiency models with approximately 1.5 billion parameters, allowing for flexible deployment across a wide array of applications.

  • Q4.How does Rakuten Group ensure the security and safety of its AI services?
    A4.

    Rakuten Group is committed to the secure and ethical development of AI, governed by rigorous security management protocols and established ethical standards.

    Strict Data Management

    Customer data is managed in strict accordance with the Rakuten Group Privacy Policy. We do not disclose customer data to third parties, nor do we use third-party customer data beyond the scope permitted by our Privacy Policy, official notifications, or applicable laws.

    Learn more about our commitment to privacy:
    Privacy Center

    Commitment to International Standards

    The Rakuten Group is dedicated to the development and operation of "Responsible AI," in alignment with the principles of the "Hiroshima AI Process" promoted by the G7. We remain committed to continuously addressing challenges such as bias and safety to provide AI services that maintain the highest standards of reliability.

    Learn more about Responsible AI:
    Responsible AI