Rakuten AI: What It Means for You
The short version
Rakuten AI is a new "agentic" assistant from Rakuten that doesn’t just answer your questions—it performs tasks for you. Instead of you browsing for hotels or searching for products yourself, this AI acts like a digital assistant to handle those chores within the Rakuten ecosystem. It is designed to save you time by understanding your goals and getting things done on your behalf.
What happened
Most AI chatbots today are "reactive"—you ask a question, and they give you an answer. Rakuten has launched Rakuten AI, which they describe as "agentic."
Think of it this way: a regular chatbot is like a library assistant who tells you which shelf a book is on. An "agentic" AI is like a personal assistant who goes to the shelf, takes the book down, and brings it to your desk. Rakuten is training this AI to understand your intent—what you are actually trying to achieve—so it can handle steps like booking travel, helping with business research, or solving complex math problems without you needing to click through dozens of pages.
Why should you care?
For most people, browsing the internet to buy things, compare prices, or plan a trip can be tedious. If you are a Rakuten user, this AI is intended to take that busy work off your plate. Because it is connected to Rakuten’s services (like shopping, finance, and travel), it doesn't just give you a list of links; it can help move the process forward toward actually completing a task. It’s moving from "AI as a search engine" to "AI as a helper."
What changes for you
- Less clicking: You can use voice, text, or images to ask the AI to perform tasks, rather than searching and filtering manually.
- Localized help: The AI is built with deep knowledge of Japanese language and culture, meaning it should understand your specific needs better than generic global AI tools.
- Versatility: Whether you need to solve a math problem, plan a business launch, or just find a recipe for a specific ingredient, the AI can generate solutions, not just show you search results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rakuten AI free?
Yes, the standalone web app (beta) is currently available to anyone in Japan free of charge.
Where can I find it?
It is currently available via the Rakuten Link mobile app for Rakuten Mobile subscribers and through a standalone web app. It is also being integrated into the Rakuten Ichiba marketplace.
Can it actually buy things for me?
Yes. The goal of this "agentic" technology is to move from just answering questions to taking action, such as purchasing items or booking travel, based on your instructions.
The bottom line
Rakuten AI marks a shift in how we use the internet: moving away from us doing all the "searching and clicking" and toward AI "doing the work." By acting as a proactive assistant that understands your goals, Rakuten aims to make your daily tasks—from shopping to solving problems—much faster and easier.
Sources
All technical specifications, pricing, and benchmark data in this article are sourced directly from official announcements. Competitor comparisons use publicly available data at time of publication. We update our coverage as new information becomes available.