August 2024 Vol. 22 No. 8

View from the Top

• Shinichi Yokohama, Chief Executive Officer, NTT Security Holdings

  

  Abstract
  In today’s connected society, ensuring safety and security in cyberspace is an extremely tough challenge. NTT Security Holdings provides security services to clients on the basis of its proprietary cyber intelligence and threat-detection-and-response capabilities. We asked Shinichi Yokohama, chief executive officer of NTT Security Holdings and chief information security officer of the NTT Group, about the company’s mission and strategy as well as his attitude as a top management.

Front-line Researchers

• Kyosuke Nishida, Senior Distinguished Researcher, NTT Human Informatics Laboratories

  

  Abstract
  Since ChatGPT, OpenAI’s generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, was released in November 2022, large language models (LLMs) have rapidly drawn worldwide attention, and new LLMs have been announced one after another. While the “bright side” of such LLMs, namely, high performance, has been brought to attention, their “dark side,” namely, increased energy consumption, has also been pointed out. On November 1, 2023, NTT’s LLM called “tsuzumi” was announced. It was developed with a particular vision in mind, creating a future in which many and small LLMs having different characteristics are combined, rather than creating one huge and monolithic LLM, to achieve social well-being through AI-human collaboration. Thus, tsuzumi has made it possible to achieve the bright side and address the dark side of LLMs simultaneously, and its commercial service was launched on March 25, 2024. We interviewed Kyosuke Nishida, a senior distinguished researcher at NTT Human Informatics Laboratories, about how the tsuzumi project was launched, features of tsuzumi, trends in LLMs, and his thoughts on the challenges of competing in a highly competitive market.

Rising Researchers

• Mitsumasa Nakajima, Distinguished Researcher, NTT Device Technology Laboratories

  

  Abstract
  Artificial intelligence (AI) is now entering its fourth wave, and this time, it is penetrating everyone’s daily life and bringing many surprises. However, training an advanced AI model requires a huge amount of resources such as time in units of several months and power equivalent to all of the power consumed by a medium-sized city. To solve this problem, studies are being conducted on AI-model computing using optical circuits that are fundamentally different in principle from past technology. In this article, we talked with NTT Distinguished Researcher Mitsumasa Nakajima about the potential of future photonic technologies and his research on “machine learning using an on-chip photonic neural network” that can greatly reduce the power consumed by machine learning through the use of photonics.

Feature Articles: R&D and Commercialization of NTT’s Large Language Model “tsuzumi”

• NTT’s LLM “tsuzumi”

  

  Abstract
  In November 2023, NTT announced tsuzumi, a large language model (LLM) based on NTT laboratories’ over-40 years of accumulated research in natural language processing. The tsuzumi LLM excels in Japanese-language processing ability, and its key features include being lightweight and providing multimodal support, which enables handling of non-text media. Its lightweight model reduces power consumption and makes on-premises use possible. Its multimodal feature enables comprehension of photos and diagrams, distinguishing tsuzumi from other publicly available LLMs. In this article, we give an overview of tsuzumi on the basis of these key features.

• NTT’s LLM “tsuzumi”: Capable of Comprehending Graphical Documents

  

  Abstract
  Large language models (LLMs) are being applied to fields such as healthcare, customer support, and office digital transformation. Information handled in such fields includes not only text but also a variety of visual content such as figures and diagrams. To develop LLMs as the core of artificial intelligence, their capabilities must be expanded so they can comprehend visual information. NTT Human Informatics Laboratories has been researching and developing NTT’s LLM called “tsuzumi.” In this article, we discuss our efforts related to tsuzumi’s visual machine reading comprehension technology for comprehending the content of a document from visual information.

• Commercialization of NTT’s LLM “tsuzumi”

  

  Abstract
  NTT Human Informatics Laboratories has been researching and developing NTT’s large language models called “tsuzumi,” and on March 25, 2024, NTT held a press conference to announce the launch of tsuzumi commercial services. This article introduces the solution menu, partner program, members forums, and other features of tsuzumi as presented at the press conference.

Global Standardization Activities

• Report on ITU-T Industry Engagement Workshop

  

  Abstract
  Strengthening the relationship between the International Telecommunication Union - Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and industry is one of the top priority pledges of Seizo Onoe, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. The first Industry Engagement Workshop was held on April 19, 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. The author was involved in the workshop as a member of its steering committee. The workshop details are introduced.

Practical Field Information about Telecommunication Technologies

• Extending Usability of Copper Cables Installed Underground by Using a Cable-retracting System

  

  Abstract
  The Technical Assistance and Support Center (TASC), NTT EAST developed a cable-retracting system for pulling underground copper cables that have moved back into their proper position. This article introduces this system and describes efforts to extend the usability of installed copper cables by using it. This is the eighty-third article in a series on telecommunication technologies.

External Awards

• External Awards