Agents · 2026-10-16

Japanese company tests voice AI assistant for older people

NTT Docomo Business and ElevenLabs are launching a pilot project in which a voice platform speaks natural Japanese with residents of Aizuwakamatsu in Japan's Fukushima Prefecture.

✨ What is happening

Japanese telecom company NTT Docomo Business is testing the ElevenAgents voice platform in Aizuwakamatsu, a city in Fukushima Prefecture.

The goal of the pilot is to help older people. The platform talks with them in natural Japanese, meaning the way people normally speak rather than with a robotic voice.

📌 Why it matters

Voice AI assistants can be convenient for people who find phones or apps difficult to use. Such technology may help with everyday communication and tasks.

This is another example of AI agents moving beyond text chats and starting to talk with people by voice.

Sources: 🔗 ElevenLabs Blog