KDDI to start business trials aimed at creating virtual character services for 5G

Collaborating with partner firms to create experiences that transcend time and space

April 26,2018

KDDI CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chiyoda, Tokyo, President: Makoto Takahashi) plans to begin conducting business trials with various partner companies beginning in May 2018 as we work toward developing new business operations using virtual characters and other xR technologies with the aim of creating new business models for the coming era of widespread 5G use.

In anticipation of the changes that will be brought on by the widespread use of 5G telecommunications, KDDI is working to create experiences that use xR technology to transcend space and time. Through business trials with various partner firms and applications of this technology, we aim to create worlds in which people and virtual characters can communicate interactively.

Up to now, KDDI has worked with Crypton Future Media inc. (Headquarters: Sapporo, Hokkaido, President: Hiroyuki Ito) on development of the Miku☆Sampo AR app. Moving forward, we will be able to add to the AR presentation developed through Miku☆Sampo to enable users to communicate more naturally with the character. This will be accomplished through virtual character development capabilities unique to AI, which enable the character to recognize and understand objects and sounds, etc., in the surrounding environment.

In addition, this project will include highly sophisticated proprietary real-time image recognition engine technology provided by Couger Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Atsushi Ishii). Couger will also cooperate with virtual character AI-related technology.

Beginning in May 2018, plans call for still more business trials using virtual characters in collaboration with the following partners.[Jump to the applicable section1]

As KDDI works to integrate telecommunications with life design, we will fulfill our role as a company that provides excitement, creating new kinds of communication through xR applications to generate new experiential value.

^{[1] Period of implementation and trial content to be announced.}