The new agentic AI assistant is free to use and will expand to Rakuten Ichiba, the company’s flagship e-commerce marketplace, later this year
In sum – what you need to know:
Live on Link and web app Rakuten – AI is now integrated into the Rakuten Link app and accessible as a standalone web app for all Rakuten ID users.
Built for Japan-first experiences – The AI features deep Japanese language and cultural awareness, delivering context-rich, personalized assistance across Rakuten’s digital services.
Ichiba launch this autumn – Rakuten AI will expand to Rakuten Ichiba later in 2025, offering shoppers tailored recommendations using behavioral insights and AI agents.
Japanese giant Rakuten Group and its communications arm Rakuten Mobile have officially launched Rakuten AI, a next-generation agentic artificial intelligence (AI) platform.
In a release, the company noted that the new agentic AI offering is now available on the Rakuten Link app and via a standalone web app, which is in a beta phase. The new AI assistant is free to use and will expand to Rakuten Ichiba, the company’s flagship e-commerce marketplace, later this year.
The new agentic AI tool was designed to enhance user experiences across Rakuten’s expansive digital services ecosystem, offering deeply personalized interactions. It integrates with sectors including e-commerce, fintech, travel, education, wellness, and entertainment, the Japanese company said.
In addition to Rakuten AI’s research and action capabilities, its deep Japanese Context Awareness is a key differentiator, enabling integration with local services through its comprehensive understanding of the Japanese language and culture, and delivering personalized experiences designed to foster lifelong happiness, success and fulfillment, Rakuten added.
“By seamlessly integrating Rakuten AI into all our core services, we are empowering users to express themselves and get more done—from complex research to immediate actions,” said Ting Cai, Rakuten Group chief AI and data officer. “This is a major step toward our vision of an Agentic Ecosystem, where intelligent AI agents orchestrate tasks and generate greater value.”
Starting today, Rakuten Mobile users can access Rakuten AI within the Rakuten Link app. Originally introduced as Rakuten Link AI in 2024, the updated version includes AI chat, automatic search prompts, voice-to-text and image input support, and dynamic follow-up suggestions.
Meanwhile, the Rakuten AI web app is open to all Rakuten ID holders and offers advanced capabilities such as deep AI search, voice interaction, translation, image creation, problem-solving, and coding tools.
In the coming months, Rakuten AI will be embedded into Rakuten Ichiba to deliver real-time product recommendations powered by user behavior and purchasing insights. In the future, Rakuten aims to establish Rakuten AI as the central gateway to a hyper-personalized, agentic web experience, with seamless access through both mobile and desktop platforms.
This launch is part of Rakuten’s broader “AI-nization” strategy, aimed at accelerating the adoption of AI across all business operations. The company also highlighted it will continue evolving Rakuten AI to expand its value across the ecosystem.
