NTT unveils quantum, AI and mobility breakthroughs at R&D forum

NTT, is hosting its annual R&D Forum in Tokyo from 19–21 November and 25–26 November, highlighting the company’s latest developments in optical and quantum computing, artificial intelligence, digital security, mobility and next-generation infrastructure. This year’s theme, “IOWN: Quantum Leap”, aligns with the United Nations’ designation of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. The Japanese government has similarly identified 2025 as the starting point for national quantum industrialisation.

IOWN initiative marks a quantum leap forward

NTT is presenting new milestones from its Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) Initiative, which aims to build an advanced communications platform using photonics technologies to deliver ultra-high capacity, ultra-low latency and dramatically reduced power consumption.

NTT and OptQC have signed an agreement to collaborate on developing scalable and reliable optical quantum computers. The partnership combines NTT’s photonic communications technologies, developed under the IOWN Initiative, with OptQC’s room-temperature optical quantum computing platform, the first of its kind. The two companies aim to build a one-million-qubit optical quantum computer by 2030. 

NTT Demonstrates Advances in Artificial Intelligence

Several exhibits at the forum highlight NTT’s role in advancing global AI capabilities, including tools already reshaping enterprise operations and research pushing the boundaries of future AI technologies.

In October, NTT unveiled tsuzumi 2, the latest version of its proprietary large language model. Designed as a lightweight alternative to conventional LLMs, tsuzumi 2 aims to reduce electricity consumption, control operational costs and mitigate security risks. Business deployments show the model delivering performance comparable to, or surpassing, larger models while offering strong cost efficiency.

NTT and NTT DOCOMO have introduced a new AI technology known as the Large Action Model (LAM), designed to support highly personalised, one-to-one marketing strategies. By learning from behavioural patterns in time-series customer data, the LAM predicts user intent and selects the most effective content, channel and timing for personalised promotions.

The future of digital privacy and security

Alongside its work in quantum and advanced computation, NTT continues to develop cybersecurity solutions capable of countering emerging quantum-enabled and AI-driven threats.

NTT Research, the company’s Silicon Valley–based research arm, has launched a suite of cybersecurity tools powered by attribute-based encryption (ABE), a technology designed to strengthen data protection in the era of quantum computing and sophisticated AI attacks. ABE was first proposed by Dr Brent Waters, Director of NTT Research’s Cryptography & Information Security Lab, and Amit Sahai in their 2005 paper “Fuzzy Identity-based Encryption”. 

Building on years of expertise in networking and emerging technologies, NTT has established a new business focused on accelerating the adoption of autonomous driving solutions in Japan.

NTT has launchedNTT Mobility, a new venture aimed at enabling Level 4 autonomous vehicle services nationwide by fiscal year 2027. The company will focus on three core areas: provision and management of autonomous vehicles; support for implementation and operation; and provision of remote monitoring systems.

NTT has unveiled a parametric object-recognition-radio-estimation model that automatically assesses whether video and vehicle-related data transmitted from autonomous vehicles to control centres are sufficient for detecting sudden obstacles. The system issues alerts if video quality deteriorates, helping ensure safe and reliable remote supervision.