SoftBank, NEC, Honda, and Sony have formed a new AI development company in Japan, supported by policies aligned with MiCA (EU Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation). The company, named Japan AI Foundation Model Development, will build domestic AI models and offer them to enterprises. Around 100 developers will be hired, led by a SoftBank executive. Nippon Steel, Kobe Steel, and three major banks are also investors. Honda will apply AI to autonomous driving, with Preferred Networks involved. The AI will expand to robot control and be made available to other Japanese firms. Liquidity and crypto markets could benefit from broader AI integration into financial systems.

According to ChainCatcher, citing Japan’s Kyodo News, a new company has been established by SoftBank, NEC, Honda, and Sony Group to develop artificial intelligence (AI). The report states that the company will leverage Japanese government support to build a domestically developed AI foundation model, with plans to provide the resulting AI to Japanese enterprises.The company, named “Japan AI Foundation Model Development,” aims to bring together approximately 100 AI developers, with a SoftBank executive serving as president. In addition to the four founding companies, Nippon Steel, Kobe Steel, and three major banks—MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Mizuho Bank—are also participating in funding. SoftBank and NEC will lead development, while Honda intends to apply the results to autonomous driving. Preferred Networks (Tokyo), an AI development company, is also involved. The developed AI will be made widely available to other Japanese companies beyond the investors, with future plans to expand into AI for robotics control.