OpenAI Opens First Asian Office in Tokyo

OpenAI, which operates generative AI services like ChatGPT, officially announced the opening of its Tokyo office on April 15. This marks OpenAI's fourth global location, following San Francisco, USA; London, UK; and Dublin, Ireland. It is the company's first office in Asia.

At the announcement press conference, Tadao Nagasaki, President of OpenAI Japan, and Brad Lightcap, COO of the headquarters, took the stage to express their enthusiasm for the Tokyo office opening.

Regarding the choice of Japan for the office location, COO Brad Lightcap stated: "Japan has a tradition of leadership in the technology field and is a crucial market committed to building the future through technology. In Japan, our services are already used by over 2 million people weekly, adopted by many companies and individuals. Japan is at a critical juncture in technology adoption, and we want to contribute to that transformation." He also highlighted Japan's positive stance on AI development and research, citing the Liberal Democratic Party's formulation of an "AI White Paper" and the "Hiroshima AI Process" launched by the Japanese government to explore international rules for generative AI.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated in a video message, "(Establishing the Tokyo office) is the first step toward what we hope will be a long-term partnership with the people of Japan, the government, companies, and research institutions."

Brad Lightcap, COO of the headquarters

President Nagasaki stated, "We believe the technology developed by research-backed OpenAI can positively impact every industry and sector. We aim to engage in ongoing dialogue with our Japanese customers to create unprecedented use cases over the coming years. We want OpenAI tools to contribute not only to quality of life but also to boosting productivity and creativity across society. First, we'll dedicate time to understanding diverse industry needs, enhancing OpenAI's value, and ensuring it's understood."

Tadao Nagasaki, President of OpenAI Japan

Additionally, coinciding with the establishment of the Japanese subsidiary, they announced the provision of a custom model of "GPT-4" optimized for Japanese. It offers improved performance in translating and summarizing Japanese text, operating up to three times faster than the previous model. The API is scheduled for release within the next few months.

"ChatGPT Enterprise" (a paid plan for businesses) has already been adopted by major Japanese companies including Daikin, Rakuten, and Toyota Connected. At the announcement event, Toyota Connected Managing Director Makoto Ito took the stage to discuss the potential and expectations for AI in the mobility industry.

OpenAI stated it will focus on collaborating with the Japanese government, local companies, and research institutions to develop secure AI tools tailored to Japan's unique needs. It also expressed a positive stance toward collaborating with Japanese AI tools already developed by other companies.