Noetra Corp. has launched full-scale research and development for a multimodal AI foundation model aimed at physical AI and robotics, backed by Sony Group Corporation, SoftBank Corp., NEC Corporation and Honda Motor as founding members. The sovereign AI programme has drawn investment from 44 companies, led by Japan’s manufacturing sector.

The development roadmap runs across three phases. Starting in fiscal 2026, Noetra will build a reasoning foundation model centred on Japanese-language understanding and logical reasoning. By fiscal 2028, the target is an omni-modal system processing text, images, video and audio; fiscal 2030 targets “Real-world Native AI”, which Noetra describes as designed for physical environments including robotics.

Computing infrastructure will be built in collaboration with Nvidia, comprising approximately 27,500 Nvidia Rubin graphics processing units (GPUs). Construction starts April 2027, with operations expected from June 2028; initial model development will run on capacity operated by Japan-based providers.

Honda’s founding membership gives the programme a direct automotive stake, with the company’s work focused on applying manufacturing expertise to physical AI for mobility and robotics. Japan’s push to develop sovereign AI infrastructure reflects a strategic response to dependence on foreign foundation models, as autonomous systems near production deployment.

Source: Honda