Rakuten Technology Conference 2017

In the age of IoT, sensors and network technology are being developed at a rapid pace, and through the use of wearable devices and robots, it is possible to obtain a huge volume of sensory data in a short period of time. AI has become essential for processing such volumes of data.
In the past, AI was developed for specific uses, meaning each application required specialized settings, development and optimization. Kazuo Yano led a project to develop artificial intelligence that can be used for multiple purposes: Hitachi AI Technology/H. This AI creates programs from data based on the objective set for each project, enabling it to find the optimal solution for any situation.
Yano also developed a sensor that obtains human behavioral data, and discovered that it could be used to measure people’s level of happiness. Based on the quantified happiness data, he proposed to employees behaviors at the workplace that could improve productivity, such as communication habits and time management. As such, Yano opened the door to new uses of big data for implementing improvements in the workplace. The Head Prize is awarded for his pioneering achievements in the field of AI and in expectation of further developments.