In this photo illustration, Sakana AI’s logo is displayed on a smartphone screen in Canada on Nov. 17, 2025. The Japanese startup’s launch of its first consumer-facing chatbot comes as artificial intelligence developers tailor global foundation models to local contexts. © Getty Images
TOKYO — Japan’s Sakana AI has launched its first consumer-facing chatbot, marking a shift from being a corporate-focused artificial intelligence startup toward becoming a provider of general services, as competition intensifies to localize generative AI for specific markets.