Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani reveals “AI 3.0,” a strategy to consolidate 70+ services into an AI-powered Super App, targeting 1 trillion yen in income.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of global technology, few leaders are as ambitious about the intersection of telecommunications and artificial intelligence as Hiroshi “Mickey” Mikitani. In a recent detailed interview on CNBC’s Managing Asia, the Rakuten Group founder and CEO laid out a bold roadmap for what he calls “Rakuten AI 3.0,” a strategic pivot designed to transform the Japanese conglomerate from a diverse service provider into a unified, AI-driven “super app” ecosystem.
At the heart of Mikitani’s vision is the seamless integration of Rakuten’s seventy-plus businesses, spanning e-commerce, banking, and digital media, into a singular digital experience. By leveraging proprietary large language models (LLMs) trained on the group’s massive data sets, Mikitani aims to deploy AI agents that can anticipate user needs across different platforms. This isn’t just about customer-facing chatbots; it is a fundamental shift in operations. Mikitani noted that AI is already being used internally to automate complex coding and testing tasks. In a move that surprised industry analysts, Mikitani revealed that by bringing critical business support software in-house and using AI-assisted development, Rakuten is completing infrastructure projects in one year that would traditionally take four. This efficiency gain is central to his plan to reduce the “human-to-output” ratio across his global workforce of thousands.
However, the “Super App” vision relies heavily on the success of Rakuten Mobile. The venture has been a point of contention for analysts due to its high capital expenditure, but Mikitani remains steadfast. Having recently surpassed the 10 million subscriber milestone in early 2026, the mobile network is now viewed as the essential “acquisition funnel” for the entire ecosystem. Data shows that Rakuten Mobile users spend approximately 50% more on the Rakuten Ichiba marketplace than non-subscribers, creating a “compounding loop” where connectivity drives commerce. The goal is to move beyond being just a carrier and instead become the platform where users manage their entire digital lives through a single interface.
To achieve this, Rakuten is not working in a vacuum. A strategic collaboration with OpenAI has allowed Rakuten to integrate advanced “Realtime API” technology with its homegrown LLM, Rakuten AI 7B. This partnership has birthed a new generation of voice-to-voice agents that handle a third of all customer inquiries with human-like empathy. Mikitani predicts that typing will eventually become obsolete, replaced by a “Mother Agent” that proactively manages a user’s fintech, travel, and shopping needs via voice commands. This shift toward a conversational interface is what Mikitani believes will finally solve the “app fatigue” currently plaguing the mobile industry.
This expansion mirrors broader trends in the Asian tech sector, where the “Super App” model has seen varied success. According to recent reports from Nikkei Asia, Rakuten’s move to simplify its organizational structure, merging its fintech and mobile units more closely, is a direct response to the need for greater synergy. By centralizing its data, Rakuten can provide a level of personalization that traditional retailers or isolated fintech apps cannot match.
Furthermore, Rakuten’s approach to AI is distinct in its cultural foundation. Mikitani often speaks of Omotenashi, the Japanese philosophy of selfless hospitality. In the CNBC interview, he explained that AI should not just be efficient; it should be intuitive. The financial stakes are high. Mikitani has set a long-term target of one trillion yen in operating income. Achieving this requires the mobile division to reach break-even while AI implementation drives a massive surge in cross-selling. As noted by CNBC, the company is betting its future on the “Rakuten Ecosystem” loyalty program, which already boasts one of the highest retention rates in the industry. As Rakuten navigates this transition, the world is watching to see if Mikitani can prove that an AI-integrated ecosystem is the definitive blueprint for the next generation of tech giants.
About the Author
Jennifer Sakmufuwo Baba is a tech analyst and writer covering artificial intelligence, fintech, and emerging technologies at TechRegard. Based in Nigeria, she's passionate about translating complex tech developments into compelling, accessible stories for diverse audiences. Her work focuses on how technology shapes innovation across Africa and globally.
