JR Central to trial AI language services on Shinkansen for tourists to Japan
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A trial AI chatbot at JR Shinagawa Station will provide details on service operations and information such as how to purchase tickets and handle large luggage items.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
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TOKYO – JR Central said on Nov 21 that it will conduct trials of artificial intelligence (AI)-operated language services at JR Shinagawa Station in Tokyo for foreign tourists travelling on its Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains.
In the trial, which will run from Dec 15 to mid-March 2026, visitors will be able to access a dedicated site via their smartphones by scanning a QR code displayed at the station.
An AI chatbot will provide details on service operations and information such as how to purchase tickets and handle large luggage items.
Named “JRTok-AI”, the service will support English, Chinese, Korean, French and Spanish.
It will also feature location-based information and provide English commentary on the history and culture of the areas the train passes through. KYODO NEWS
