Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. is using a proprietary generative artificial intelligence (AI) system to enhance its tire development process.

The AI system "searches various technical documents accumulated internally and presents responses based on their contents," say Yokohama officials.

"This new system contributes to further accelerating and enhancing tire development by providing rapid and accurate access to technical information necessary for decision-making during the tire development process, including material development."

The Tokyo, Japan-based tiremaker's tire development team "input questions tailored to the development’s objectives and situation and the generative AI searches for the most relevant information from internal technical documents and provides responses based on that content.

"Yokohama Rubber development staff also created a mechanism in which an implemented AI agent grasps the intent of the staff’s questions and enhances the accuracy of its response by autonomously repeating the process of planning searches, retrieving information and evaluating the results.

"Additionally, with the system displaying links to the original documents that serve as the basis for responses, development staff can verify the basis and appropriateness of those responses and use them in interpretation and decision-making."