Fujitsu Ltd. has developed a system that uses AI to recommend travel destinations to foreign tourists, inferring their preferences based on such information as age and the number of times they have come to Japan.
The more user data is accumulated, the more accurate the system will become, in line with the AI’s learning function, Fujitsu said.
A trial run of the system will begin as early as this month, with Fujitsu aiming for practical application in fiscal 2019.
The trial will be jointly conducted with EXest, a company based in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, that operates WOW U, an English-language website that introduces guide services to foreign visitors.
Those using the AI system during the trial will provide answers on seven points, such as their age and the goal of their travel, via the WOW U website. The system will then suggest multiple options from among 280 sightseeing spots from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
The AI will base its analysis on such information as data collected ahead of time by survey from about 1,000 foreign nationals, and the opinions of guides and others nationwide who are registered on the WOW U website.
Unlike a regular search-type site, the AI will provide specific locations in response to such general queries as “I want to experience historical culture” or “I’m interested in foods specific to a certain area,” even if users don’t know about certain travel spots.
The system seems likely to expand visitors’ travel destinations from their tendency to cluster in urban areas, and to promote the appeal of history, culture and other elements of the country.
