Rakuten Mobile unveiled an AI agent for consumers providing access to AI chat, auto-generated prompts and deep Japanese context awareness.

Its initial rollout of Rakuten AI integrates into its mobile app Rakuten Link AI, launched in October 2024, and offers the service as a web app (beta version).

Users can input queries via text, voice-to-text conversion and image search and choose from multiple AI-generated prompts for follow-up questions, the operator explained.

The service is an upgrade of its initial AI offering.

Ting Cai, Rakuten Group’s chief AI and data officer, noted the offering transforms the way users interact with services, which is a “key element in realising our vision for an agentic ecosystem, where AI agents drive deeper engagement and create even greater value for our customers and partners”.

Rakuten AI is a gateway integrated with the group’s ecosystem, covering sectors such as shopping, lifestyle, fintech, travel, education, work, wellness and entertainment, it added.

The operator claimed its Japanese context awareness is a key differentiator, enabling integration with local services.

In January, Rakuten Mobile unveiled a generative AI service for enterprises.