Toyota Times News returns to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan! This time, we went to visit that boy who looks just like our very own Yuta Tomikawa.
The development of a robot modeled on Tomikawa, known as the Tommy Project, has been underway since 2023. In the first stage, Tomikawa himself was connected to a system to produce smooth movements. In the second stage, generative AI technology enabled the robot to engage in personalized conversations. We have excitedly watched Tommy grow and expand his range of communication. What did he have for us this time?
To find out, Tomikawa visited Tommy at the venue for Future Creation Robot Week*.
*Dates: 13-19 July 2025
There, he found visions of a future full of possibility, including 3D printers that craft foods in any shape you desire and robots that can learn and precisely replicate tasks performed by humans.
And finally came the reunion with Tommy. Standing on stage at the Expo, Tomikawa’s look-alike now spoke English! What’s more, he could incorporate information from web searches into his conversations. These updates enable Tommy to communicate with people from various countries and provide real-time information about the Expo.
Chatting with the robot, Tomikawa was left wide-eyed by his excellent pronunciation.
“We still don’t know exactly how robots will fit into society,” says Toyota Frontier Research Center President Nobuhiko Koga. “Here at the Expo, I want to observe the honest reactions of people from different generations all over the world.”
Koga also hinted at developing an AI robot from another Toyota personality…
As always, the Tommy Project remains one to watch. Start by seeing the growth in his global outlook!
