Revolutionizing AI in Japan: Sakana AI Raises $135 Million in Series B Funding
Like many other AI startups, Sakana AI is pursuing technology that can reason, self-improve, and aid scientific research. However, what sets this Tokyo-based venture apart from most of the world’s model developers is its focus on designing products specifically for Japanese society, language, and industries. This tailored approach has caught the attention of investors, with Sakana announcing a $135 million Series B funding round that values the company at $2.6 billion, making it one of Japan’s most valued AI startups.
According to a statement by Hironori Kamezawa, CEO of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), one of the investors, “As a business leader myself, I feel a responsibility to lead the implementation of AI across all Japanese companies. Through this investment, I hope the benefits of AI will extend beyond transforming banking operations to Japan’s diverse industries.” This sentiment is echoed by Sakana’s CEO, David Ha, who aims to develop AI systems that cater to Japan’s unique needs and values.
Photo by Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Images
Addressing the Language Gap in AI
The current state of AI development is largely dominated by English-language models, with more than half of all online content written in English. This poses a significant challenge for training large language models (LLMs) that serve non-English markets, as fewer than 5 percent of the approximately 7,000 languages spoken around the globe have meaningful representation online, according to a recent paper from the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI. Sakana AI is working to close this gap by developing LLMs that reflect Japan’s national culture and values.
Sakana is not alone in this endeavor, as other companies such as Krutrim and Mistral AI are also working on developing LLMs in Indian and European languages, respectively. Microsoft has also announced initiatives to expand training data in European languages, highlighting the growing recognition of the need for more multilingual AI development. As noted by Sakana, “For Japan, with a declining workforce and an aging population, the benefits of AI technology are clear. We believe the right path for Japan, a nation with limited resources, is to develop our AI ecosystem sustainably through innovation and collaboration, with a strong focus on societal implementation of the technology.”
With its new funding, Sakana plans to advance research into LLMs that cater to Japan’s specific needs, offering a distinct path and resource requirement from the large-scale model competition. The company’s focus on building sovereign AI that prioritizes Japan’s unique cultural and linguistic context is a significant step towards addressing the language gap in today’s LLMs.
Image Source: observer.com
