Aww to Provide New Customer Experience at KDDI's "POP Culture Style IKEBUKURO" Using Conversational AI Virtual Human Service "HITO"

Image of HITO utilization at POP Culture Style IKEBUKURO

Aww Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Takayuki Moriya, hereinafter "our company") will provide a new customer experience utilizing our conversational AI virtual human service "HITO" at "POP Culture Style IKEBUKURO," a pop culture experience hub to be opened by KDDI Corporation on July 3, 2026, on the 2nd floor of "au Style IKEBUKURO."

Our original virtual human "Zinn" will be featured in this initiative. On outdoor LED signage facing the street, Zinn will appear in video advertisements to capture the interest of passersby. Inside the facility, the same Zinn will engage in real-time conversations with visitors through HITO. By having the character encountered in the advertisement act as a "talking guide" within the store, we will create a customer experience that seamlessly connects "viewing" advertisements with "conversational" customer service.

Zinn inside the facility will be equipped with background information necessary for the experience within the facility, including pop-up events and exhibitions held at POP Culture Style IKEBUKURO, plans for popular anime and game titles, and information about au Style IKEBUKURO and au. Visitors can ask Zinn directly about highlights of the facility, how to enjoy events, and tips for navigating the space, receiving guidance tailored to their interests.

Experience Realized by HITO

"HITO" is a conversational AI virtual human service that enables virtual humans to engage in real-time conversations with visitors based on information about companies and facilities. It can introduce AI customer service experiences that guide visitors through natural conversations, based on knowledge data about facilities and products, for roles such as reception, customer service, guidance, and FAQ support.

In this initiative at POP Culture Style IKEBUKURO, by utilizing HITO, we have built a conversational experience that reflects facility-specific information and event details. It goes beyond simple chatbots or information signage; a character that matches the facility's worldview can engage visitors on the spot, answer questions, and create an entry point for their experience.

Image of Zinn's video advertisement displayed on outdoor LED signage

Provided Content 1 | Inside the Facility: Conversational AI Virtual Human Guidance by HITO

Zinn, displayed on monitors inside the facility, will proactively engage visitors as a conversational AI virtual human. The conversation engine employs our HITO. It recognizes visitor audio and generates real-time responses based on knowledge data (RAG) registered for each facility and LLM.

Features and Functions (Partial)

- Recognizes visitor audio and generates responses based on knowledge data about pop-up events and exhibitions within the facility, and au Style IKEBUKURO/au. - Guides visitors through pop-up events on the 2nd floor and plans for popular anime and game titles in a conversational format. - Presents highlights and navigation tips based on visitor interests. - Responds in as little as approximately 0.85 seconds (real-time processing from voice recognition → LLM/RAG → response generation → voice synthesis → facial expression/lip-sync → screen output). - Multilingual support. - Functions as a "face of the brand" with designed personality, voice, and behavior.

Provided Content 2 | Outdoor Street-Facing LED: Video Advertisement Produced with Generative AI

On the outdoor LED signage facing the street, video advertisements produced using generative AI will be displayed. The "appearance" of Zinn on the street-facing LED will capture the attention of passersby and naturally guide them to the experience space on the 2nd floor.

Features (Partial)

- Multiple patterns of video advertisements produced using generative AI. - Captures the attention of passersby with an "appearance" of Zinn on the LED. - Designs a customer flow where visitors can converse with the character encountered in the advertisement inside the facility. - Motivates visits to the upper floor (2nd floor).

Background of the Initiative

Historically, virtual humans have been primarily utilized in "viewing" touchpoints such as advertisements and social media. Meanwhile, the importance of "talking" touchpoints, where guidance is provided tailored to each visitor's interests and situation, is increasing in stores and facilities.

Our company has over 10 years of experience in producing and operating virtual humans, cultivating both the creativity to generate original IPs and the AI technology to enable real-time conversation in-house. HITO is a service that deploys this expertise for companies and facilities.

This initiative is an example where visitors who become interested through advertisements can deepen their experience by conversing with the same character inside the facility. By utilizing HITO, characters can function as "talking touchpoints" for facilities and brands, rather than remaining mere visual representations.

Comment from Aww Representative

"We are delighted that HITO will be introduced at KDDI's new 'au Style IKEBUKURO' in Ikebukuro.

We believe that HITO, our conversational AI virtual human service, can be useful for addressing labor shortages and creating new value.

It can achieve natural conversations, and by configuring prompts and RAG in the management screen, it is possible to build conversational experiences that reflect facility-specific information and event details.

We are looking forward to seeing our Zinn in action, as it has been chosen for this occasion."

(Takayuki Moriya, Representative Director, Aww Inc.)

About "HITO"

Conversational AI Virtual Human Service "HITO"

Launched in June 2026, "HITO" is our conversational AI virtual human service. With the concept of "recruitment without hiring," AI virtual humans handle tasks such as reception, multilingual customer service, and FAQ support. It deploys CG production, character design, and real-time AI conversation technology cultivated through IPs like imma for corporate use, enabling implementation as a "talking touchpoint" for brands and facilities. We also offer integrated services for visual production, including social media, advertisements, and promotional videos.

◼︎ HITO Service Site

https://hito.aww.tokyo/

About "Zinn"

Virtual Human "Zinn"

An original virtual human produced by our company. By combining a CG-produced character with the conversational AI service "HITO," Zinn engages in real-time conversations and guidance tailored to facilities and visitors.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/plusticboy/

Facility Overview

Name: POP Culture Style IKEBUKURO Location: 2F, au Style IKEBUKURO (1-13-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo) Scheduled Opening Date: July 3, 2026 (Fri) 10:00 Operation: KDDI Corporation (Operating Partner: Natasha Inc.) Website: http://popculturestyle.com/ *This facility is operated by KDDI Corporation, featuring the conversational AI virtual human "Zinn." Our company provides the conversational experience utilizing HITO and video advertisements for the street-facing LED. For facility details, please refer to KDDI's announcement.

About Aww

Aww Inc. is a virtual human AI company that plans and develops content utilizing virtual humans and AI. The company is involved in the planning and operation of multiple virtual humans such as imma, MIRAI, plusticboy, and Ria, and develops businesses by combining 3DCG, AI, and unique production capabilities.

In recent years, the company has also been developing conversational AI virtual humans that support various applications such as customer service, education, and tourism by combining technologies like ASR, LLM, and TTS with proprietary CG models.

Company Name: Aww Inc. Location: 15F, Cerulean Tower, 26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031 Representative: Takayuki Moriya Business Activities: Virtual Human Production Business Virtual Human AI Business Website: https://aww.tokyo/

[Contact Information for Inquiries] Aww Inc. Public Relations Contact: Sara Giusto Mail: press@aww.tokyo