Rakuten Viber integrates ChatGPT via OpenAI partnership

Rakuten Viber, a popular messaging application, has announced an integration of OpenAI's ChatGPT directly into its platform. This partnership allows Viber users to access generative AI capabilities within the app, marking a notable step in bringing advanced AI features to consumer messaging services. The move reflects a broader industry trend towards embedding AI into everyday applications.

This integration matters because it signifies a growing adoption of generative AI within widely used consumer platforms. For Viber, it could enhance user engagement by offering new functionalities like content generation or information retrieval directly within chats. For the messaging sector, it sets a precedent for feature expansion and innovation driven by AI, potentially influencing competitors to follow suit.

The mechanism involves Rakuten Viber utilizing OpenAI's API (Application Programming Interface) to embed ChatGPT's language model. This allows Viber to send user queries to OpenAI's servers and receive AI-generated responses, which are then displayed within the Viber interface. This API economy model enables companies to integrate sophisticated AI without developing the underlying technology themselves.

This development primarily moves Rakuten (4755.T) as the parent company of Viber, potentially impacting its user growth and platform stickiness. It also highlights the increasing relevance of OpenAI's technology and its partners. For the broader smartphone and messaging app market, it suggests a future where generative AI becomes a standard feature, potentially influencing demand for devices capable of running such advanced applications and driving innovation among competitors like Meta Platforms (META) with WhatsApp and Telegram.