Future Tech

Future Tech

Stories on advanced technologies that offer a glimpse into the future.
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OpenAI, SoftBank Group Corp. and SoftBank Corp. Unveil Joint Venture to Transform Businesses in Japan

On February 3, 2025, OpenAI, Inc., SoftBank Group Corp., Arm and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) hosted a special event in Tokyo for enterprises based in Japan. Attended by top business leaders and the press, the session featured OpenAI CEO S…

Can Brain Mechanisms be Applied to Computing? SoftBank Corp. and The University of Tokyo Conduct Research to Find Out

With the spread of generative AI, power consumption at data centers is rapidly increasing. For example, training GPT-4 requires over 50 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity, the equivalent to the monthly electricity usage of about 55,600 av…

Keywords Explained: AI Agent

A program that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to autonomously assess and execute tasks on a user’s behalf A program that can execute tasks and learn on its own using AI and data An AI agent is a program designed to autonomously pla…

Japan’s Telecommunications Carriers Team Up to Accelerate Disaster Recovery

Almost a year has passed since a powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto Peninsula, located in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture. The natural disaster caused severe damage to local infrastructure and homes in the area, and SoftBank Cor…

Introducing “AITRAS”: SoftBank Corp.’s Solution to Build AI Capabilities on 5G Networks

AI is driving transformative change across industries and enterprises, significantly enhancing productivity and convenience. As applications expand beyond chatbots to other applications, such as the real-time control of robots, drones and …

Honda and SoftBank Corp. Test Cellular V2X Technology to Prevent Traffic Accidents

Connected vehicle technology, which enables vehicles to be constantly connected to communication networks, is expected to be essential to next-generation forms of mobility, including autonomous driving. By connecting vehicles to various th…

SoftBank Corp. Opens “EBC STATION Ai” to Demonstrate New Technologies and Foster Open Innovation in Japan’s Tokai Region

On December 13, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced it is planning to open “EBC STATION Ai” – an experiential facility that showcases new technology solutions – in January 2025. EBC STATION Ai will be operated by SoftBank and loca…

AI Meets Aquaculture: Fish Counting Application From SoftBank Corp. and Aizip Wins CES® 2025 Innovation Award

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and Silicon Valley-based Aizip, Inc. jointly developed a machine learning application capable of counting fish in real time with smartphones and other edge devices. The technology was selected for a CES® 2025 I…

SoftBank Corp. Invests in Next-generation Solar Cell Developer PXP Corporation to Expand Use of Renewable Energy

To build next-generation infrastructure for the AI era, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is advancing the construction of AI computing platforms and data centers, and, to meet the increased demand for AI-driven data processing while taking ste…

Video: How SoftBank Corp. is Pioneering AI-RAN to Support a Society that Coexists with AI

Anticipating an era where AI-based services are ubiquitous in daily life, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is advancing initiatives to deploy distributed AI computing infrastructure across Japan while seeking an optimal balance between central…

SoftBank Corp. Develops Multimodal AI to Help Autonomous Vehicles Navigate Traffic Safely

In Japan, traffic regulations stipulate that when a vehicle approaches an unsignalized crosswalk with a vehicle stopped in front of it, the driver needs to come to a complete stop before proceeding. This presents a challenge to human opera…

SoftBank Corp. Announces Development of New Technologies and Collaborations for AI-RAN

After first announcing its “AI-RAN” concept in 2023 as a foundation for next-generation mobile networks to support a society that coexists with AI, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has made significant progress in bringing its vision to realit…

Aichi Prefecture’s Startup Hub “STATION Ai” Celebrates Grand Opening

SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) “STATION Ai,” a startup support hub based in the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan’s industrial heartland, officially opened its doors on October 1, 2024. Since then new member companies have been suc…

How Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) Technology Can Help Meet the Demands of the 6G Era

Looking beyond 5G to the 6G era, there will likely be greater demand for communication with and between objects – not to mention more communication between people – and this will lead to an increase in mobile communication traffic. To acco…

SoftBank Corp.’s Improved Solar-powered HAPS Aircraft Completes Stratospheric Flight

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is actively conducting research and development for its HAPS business to help bridge the digital divide and provide emergency communications during disasters. After first its HAPS business in 2017, SoftBank has…

Why Terahertz Frequency is Key to 6G

In the field of mobile telecommunications, the first generation (1G) system was introduced in the 1980s. Since then, generations have evolved approximately every 10 years, with 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G using new frequency allocations. Looking ahe…

Bridging the Digital Divide: SoftBank Corp.’s Progress in Developing Key Technologies for HAPS

High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) is an innovative technology that uses uncrewed aircraft positioned in the stratosphere, approximately 20 km above the Earth's surface, to provide stable, high-speed and wide-area connectivity. As a tec…

Keywords Explained: Nullforming, a Technology that Prevents Radiowave Interference

An advanced antenna technology that suppresses radiowave emissions in a specific direction to prevent interference Technology reduces signal strength in specific directions to boost communication precision Nullforming, also known as nullst…

SoftBank Corp. Engineers Receive Top Honors at 2024 Japan AWS Partner Network Awards

Two employees from SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) received top honors as engineers at companies participating in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Network (APN) community. In June 2024, Yoshiyuki Hirao was recognized as one of the “2024 …

SDGs Actions: How Smart Buildings Can Add Value and Reduce CO2 Emissions

Due to the spread of telecommuting and other workstyle changes, what people need from offices and buildings has dramatically changed in recent years. Greater comfort for employees and support for diversified workstyles are some requirement…

Realizing a Safer Society with AI-RAN

Anticipating an era where people coexist with AI, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is advancing initiatives to deploy distributed AI computing infrastructure across Japan. While previously it was common to establish data centers in major urban…

How Digital Twin Technology Can be Used to Make Roads Safer

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is envisioning a future where every vehicle is part of a connected network. Before this vision is realized, however, society will need to grapple with the reality of both connected and non-connected vehicles dr…

Cubic Telecom’s View on How Non-terrestrial Networks Will Redefine Vehicle Connectivity

Cubic Telecom, a global leader in software-defined connected vehicle (SDCV) solutions, officially joined SoftBank Corp.’s (TOKYO: 9434) group of companies on March 6, 2024. Working with the world’s leading automotive, transportation and ag…

Keywords Explained: How is ASI Different from AGI?

As technology advances, AI is increasingly becoming part of our daily lives. While many are familiar with AI in the traditional sense, newer terms like AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) and ASI (Artificial Superintelligence) are enteri…

2024 as the First Year of 6G: How SoftBank Corp. is Getting Ready for a New Era

Following full-fledged commercial rollouts around the world, 5G brought ultra-high speeds, ultra-low latency and massive simultaneous connections to the masses. 6G is expected to bring even more wireless communication advancements and inno…

SoftBank Corp. and University of Miyazaki Develop Power Generation Simulation for Solar-powered HAPS

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) is developing an uncrewed solar-powered aircraft for High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) stratospheric-based wireless communication systems. Unlike a satellite, it requires energy to maintain a consistent alt…

SoftBank Corp. Testing Terahertz Frequency to Realize Ultra-high Communication Speeds in 6G Era

While it has been about four years since SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) launched commercial 5G services, SoftBank and the telecommunications industry are already looking ahead to 6G, a mobile communications technology expected to see commerc…

Quantum Computers: Challenges, Initiatives, and Prospects

Quantum computers, with their computational capabilities that have the potential to far surpass what traditional computers can achieve, are at the vanguard of information technology. Given their potential, quantum computers could profoundl…

Revolutionizing Baseball Viewing with AR Glasses

From April 3 to 4, 2024, a pioneering trial took place at Fukuoka PayPay Dome (now MIZUHO PayPay Dome FUKUOKA) to demonstrate a new way to experience baseball game viewing with augmented reality (AR). Get a first hand look at how this adva…

An Engineer's Rise to the Rank of AWS Jr. Champion with 12 AWS Certifications

Ginga Miyata, an engineer at SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), was selected for the 2023 Japan AWS Jr. Champions, a program that chooses young engineers in their first to third working year who have demonstrated a certain degree of technical s…

SoftBank Corp. Launches Development Project in Collaboration with Microsoft Japan to Optimize its Call Center Operations with Generative AI

In March 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced it is aiming to further enhance its call centers for mobile, fixed-line and Internet communication services in Japan by using generative AI. To achieve this goal, it is launching a join…

SoftBank Corp.’s Vision to Build Infrastructure for an Unwired Society with 6G

While the latest global wireless standard 5G is still continuing to see adoption, 6G is not too far away on the horizon. But what is 6G? And how might it change the way we communicate and live? When the term 6G comes up, many might associa…

SoftBank Corp. Launches “Private 5G (Dedicated Type)” Service, Enabling Enterprises to Deploy High-speed, Closed 5G Networks

On March 13, 2024, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) launched its "Private 5G (Dedicated Type)" service that enables enterprises, local governments and other organizations to build customized 5G networks on their premises with dedicated base st…

How AI-RAN Can Transform the Telecommunications Industry in the AI Era

The formation of the AI-RAN Alliance, a new collaborative initiative aimed at integrating AI into cellular technology to further advance radio access network (RAN) technology and mobile networks, was one of the top stories of Mobile World …

Institute for AI and Beyond Leads Discussions at AI House Davos During the World Economic Forum

2024’s World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting was held from January 15-19 in Davos, Switzerland, and this year’s program featured AI House Davos, a new initiative that brought leaders in industry, civil society, government, the investin…

Harnessing AI to Transform Wireless: Industry Leaders Form AI-RAN Alliance

How can AI innovations be utilized to advance the telecommunications industry, and society at large? To address this challenge, leading technology, industry, and academic institutions came together at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on Feb…

SoftBank Corp. Leads Global Efforts to Expand Spectrum Crucial to HAPS Services of the Future

From November to December 2023, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) was there representing Japan, along w…

SoftBank Corp. and Keio Research Institute at SFC Unveil Virtual Campus Built on Metaverse Platform

Keio Research Institute at SFC (KRIS) and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) established a “Digital Twin Campus Lab” in 2022 and have been collaborating on research and development of next-generation infrastructure, including Digital Twin techno…

HAPS Alliance Holds First In-person Only Member Meeting to Accelerate its Mission of Connecting the Unconnected

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), which is developing a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) business to offer telecommunication services from the stratosphere, is also a founding and executive member of the HAPS Alliance, an industry associa…

How SoftBank Corp. is Enabling Safe Truck and Bus Platooning with 5G

In its research and development efforts to realize next-generation networks, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) has been actively researching Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) technologies and working to implement them, as evidenced by a Bus Rapid Transi…

SoftBank Corp.’s HAPS Technologies Showcased at UN-hosted Internet Governance Forum Kyoto 2023

From October 8th to 12th, 2023, Internet Governance Forum Kyoto 2023 (IGF Kyoto 2023), the latest in a series of yearly forums hosted by the United Nations, which brings together a wide range of stakeholders to engage in dialogue on all is…

How AGI Differs from Traditional AI

With rapid technological advancements, artificial intelligence, or AI, is now becoming a part of our daily lives. In addition to traditional AI, the term "AGI" is now entering common parlance. At this year’s SoftBank World, SoftBank's larg…

“Smart Fleet” Vehicle Management Service Utilizes Technology to Prevent Drinking and Driving

It’s a sad fact that people still operate vehicles while intoxicated, and this continues to bring disastrous results for motorists and pedestrians. Japan is also grappling with this problem, and in an effort to prevent accidents, new legis…

Autonomous EV Shuttle “MiCa” Gets License Plates for Japan

As reported earlier by SoftBank News, BOLDLY Inc., an autonomous driving systems development and service subsidiary of SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434), brought a new autonomous EV shuttle called “MiCa” from Estonia to Japan for initial demons…

Rwanda and SoftBank Corp. Achieve World-first Milestone with Stratospheric 5G Connectivity Test

The Government of Rwanda and SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) announced a groundbreaking achievement in the world of telecommunications on September 24, 2023. Both successfully conducted a test of SoftBank's proprietary 5G communications paylo…

Meet the Robots of Smart City Takeshiba, Part 3: Moving Vending Machine Robots

After spending some time in the country, one thing that many visitors to Japan immediately notice is the large number of vending machines. According to Statista, at the end of 2022 there were close to 4 million vending machines in the nati…

5G and Autonomous Driving Technologies to Power Japan’s First Bus Platooning Trial on Public Roads

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a public transportation system designed to provide a high-capacity bus service that combines the speed and reliability of rail systems at much lower costs. With these advantages, BRT systems are seeing increased …

SoftBank Corp. Data Scientist Wins Gold Medal at World’s Largest AI Competition

Masaya Ogino, a data scientist at SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) won a gold medal in the "Feedback Prize - English Language Learning" competition held by Kaggle, the world's largest data science competition platform. The goal of this AI codi…

SoftBank Corp. and Microsoft Japan Form Strategic Alliance in Generative AI Domain to Accelerate DX in Japan

As President & CEO Junichi Miyakawa mentioned at the earnings briefing for Q1 FY2023 on August 4, 2023, SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) views generative AI to be the most important technology for the future. Accordingly, SoftBank is working o…

Behind the Scenes: Testing a Sub-scale Model Aircraft to Develop a Next-generation Uncrewed Aircraft System for HAPS

SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434) and its subsidiary HAPSMobile recently announced they collected crucial data for the development of a next-generation “Sunglider,” an uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) designed for High Altitude Platform System (H…