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Rakuten Innovation

The latest insights and news about Rakuten innovation and entrepreneurship.

Mickey Mikitani: The age of agentic AI has arrived

“This year, we’ve renamed our flagship event from Rakuten Optimism to Rakuten AI Optimism, reflecting our belief that AI is fundamentally transforming the world.” Kicking off the sixth iteration of Rakuten’s biggest annual business conference, Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani had a clear message: artificial intelligence is not a trend, but a foundational …

August 7, 2025
Rakuten AI: Our agentic future starts here

At the 2025 Rakuten AI Optimism conference, Rakuten took another bold step into the future with the full-scale launch of Rakuten AI, a new cutting-edge AI agent geared to reshape how users interact with the Rakuten Ecosystem. “We are on a journey of AI innovation,” shared Rakuten Group Chief Data & AI Officer Ting Cai …

August 27, 2025
Rakuten Travel Awards 2025 Ceremony Digest

Rakuten Travel has announced the "Rakuten Travel Award 2025," recognizing the top registered accommodation facilities across Japan. Just 0.6% of around 40,000 facilities nationwide were selected for the exclusive gathering, where they celebrated their success alongside Rakuten employees. In addition to the awards, 2025 initiatives were shared at the ceremony, with many hotels emphasizing their focus on AI utilization and DX (digital transformation), with comments such as "switched to advance card payments for all booking sites" and "advanced operational efficiency using AI."

April 16, 2026

BLOG
September 22, 2025

Space & AI: Rakuten Mobile’s next frontiers

BLOG
September 19, 2025

Transforming cancer care with generative AI

VIDEO
September 18, 2025

Rakuten Role Models in Tech Inspire Future Female Leaders

BLOG
September 12, 2025

On the AI Frontlines: How Rakuten and industry leading startups are shaping the future of tech

VIDEO
September 12, 2025

Vissel Kobe 30th Anniversary Matches: FC Barcelona and Club Legends Join the Celebrations

VIDEO
September 9, 2025

Rakuten Tech Center Europe: Innovation from Paris

VIDEO
September 8, 2025

SOY TRIP 2025: A Special Journey into the Future of E-commerce

VIDEO
September 5, 2025

Rakuten Card Fosters Secure Workplace with Customer Harassment Countermeasures

BLOG
September 5, 2025

15 perspectives on AI from Rakuten AI Optimism

VIDEO
September 4, 2025

Call Inquiries Halved! Rakuten Card's Contact Center Improvements and AI Use

VIDEO
September 3, 2025

Rakuten Mobile is Exclusive Carrier of Nothing's "Phone (3)" in Japan!

VIDEO
September 1, 2025

Future of AI in Action at Rakuten Mobile Booth