The Japan Tourism Board has upgraded the JAPAN Trip Navigator smartphone app, just a year after its launch, using the computational power of Microsoft Azure and artificial intelligence.
This combination delivers comprehensive tourist information fast, in English as well as traditional and simplified Chinese.
The app, with its chatbot Miko, can access detailed sightseeing and tourist information from JTB as well as NAVITIME Japan’s route search data for all forms of transportation.
Users can also access a wide range of other services such as making restaurant reservations, finding a taxi, and booking accommodation.
One new feature means a user can take a smartphone image of Japanese-language sign, advertisement, or menu and receive a direct translation.
Further cloud and AI-powered advancements to Miko are enabling the chatbot to deliver a new style of independent travel for foreigners in Japan.
Using the cloud and AI, Miko acts as a virtual travel concierge who is constantly learning about what’s hot and where to go – by drawing on detailed sightseeing and tourist information from the Japan Travel Board and NAVITIME Japan’s route search data for all forms of transportation.
Miko is integrated with image recognition functions on Microsoft’s Cognitive Services AI platform, enabling her to recognise, search out, and provide information related to photos from app users.
