Rakuten AI Optimism 2025

AI Unlocks the Future of Sports! Experiential Booth "Athletic Lab by Rakuten"

From July 30 to August 1, 2025, "Rakuten AI Optimism" was held at Pacifico Yokohama. Under the concept of "Empowering the Future," this event aimed to showcase how the Rakuten Group intends to bring about transformative and wonderful changes to Japan's future through the innovative application of AI.

To allow visitors to get a glimpse into the future of sports, the "Athletic Lab by Rakuten" booth was designed with two labs: "Future Spectator Experience" and "Future Athlete Experience." In the "Future Athlete Experience" lab, participants gained new insights into their own athletic abilities. The "Form Analyzer" utilized AI to meticulously analyze participants' baseball batting and soccer kicking forms, providing a precise diagnosis of their technique quality and even identifying professional athletes with similar styles.

Meanwhile, the "Future Spectator Experience" lab featured a "Smart Vision" display that presented real-time match result predictions and comprehensive player information. Participants could freely select the content they wished to view via an intuitive touchscreen, creating an immersive experience akin to that of a professional analyst. This allowed them to thoughtfully contemplate game developments while reviewing detailed numerical analysis results.

To conclude the experience, a "syncSPORTS by Rakuten Special Edition" newspaper was distributed. This personalized publication featured recommended articles specifically curated for each participant, based on their activity data gathered within the lab. This innovative feature offered a compelling hint at the future possibility of even desired articles being highly personalized.

Ultimately, this event effectively presented the immense potential for sports to become even more diverse and engaging through the incorporation of the latest technologies. It offered visitors a unique opportunity to directly experience new and exciting ways of interacting with the future of sports.