Aiming to create new AI-driven businesses together

Tokyo, Japan, May 31, 2024 — MIXI, Inc. announces that it has acquired shares in picon, Inc., making it a subsidiary. The company picon, Inc. operates a conversational AI service called AI Chat-kun.

Under its corporate policy of creating connections that make each day a pleasure, picon has released a wide range of communication services. Beginning with its conversational AI service “AI Chat-kun,” launched in February 2023, picon’s services have surpassed a total of 5 million registered users as of May 2024.

MIXI shares picon’s commitment to communication services and invested in the company in 2018. In recent years, we have been discussing potential new AI service ventures together, and in order to further strengthen collaboration between our two companies and expand opportunities for new businesses aligned with our purpose, we have decided to make picon a subsidiary.

By combining picon’s strong execution capabilities and creative approach—demonstrated through its track record of launching numerous services—with our expertise and know-how in communication services, as well as personnel exchange, we aim to drive the development of new AI-powered communication services and create new business opportunities.

■About picon, Inc. (https://picon-inc.com/) (Japanese only)

Company Name: picon, Inc.
Established: April 1, 2016
Location: Shibuya Scramble Square 36F, 2-24-12 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-6136, Japan
Capital: 127 million yen
Representative Director: Shosei Yamaguchi
Business Activities: Development and operation of the conversational AI service “AI Chat-kun”