Cohere and Fujitsu Partner to Bring Localized AI Solutions to Japanese Enterprises

Cohere, a Canadian AI startup, has partnered with Japanese tech giant Fujitsu to develop large language models (LLMs) and AI solutions tailored for the Japanese market, aiming to empower local enterprises with advanced natural language processing capabilities.

Key details of the partnership: Cohere will provide its cutting-edge AI models, while Fujitsu will leverage its expertise in Japanese language training and fine-tuning technologies to create enterprise-ready solutions:

• The collaboration will debut an LLM tentatively named ‘Takane’ (meaning ‘mountain peak’ in English), based on Cohere’s enterprise-grade Command R+ model, which offers best-in-class retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), multilingual coverage, and a powerful Tool Use API for automating complex workflows.
• Fujitsu will combine its knowledge graph extended RAG system, generative AI amalgamation technology, and AI auditing technology with Cohere’s models to build adaptable AI solutions that address specific business needs while ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
• In addition to Takane, Fujitsu plans to utilize Cohere’s Embed and Rerank models to develop advanced enterprise search applications and RAG systems.

Bringing the solutions to market: Fujitsu will be the exclusive provider of the jointly developed Japanese language models and services, making them available to enterprises through various channels:

• Takane will be offered for enterprises’ private environments in September 2024 via Fujitsu’s Kozuchi cloud-based AI platform.
• Fujitsu will leverage its Data Intelligence PaaS, a cloud-based all-in-one operation platform, and its Fujitsu Uvance cross-industry business model to deliver the joint solutions to customers.

Broader implications for the AI industry: This partnership highlights the growing trend of AI companies expanding their footprint across geographies to serve diverse markets and customer needs:

• The move follows similar partnerships, such as OpenAI’s Tokyo hub and Anthropic’s collaboration with Singapore’s SKT, underscoring the importance of localization and customization in the global AI landscape.
• Cohere’s approach of partnering with a well-established local player like Fujitsu provides access to a broader customer base in Japan, similar to Perplexity’s strategy of partnering with Softbank to expand its AI knowledge engine’s reach.

While the specific Japanese companies benefiting from this partnership have not been disclosed, the collaboration between Cohere and Fujitsu signifies a major step forward in bringing powerful, localized AI solutions to enterprises in one of the world’s most important markets.