Daisuke Okanohara, Co-Founder and CEO of PFN and Eisaku Ito, President and CEO of MHI
TOKYO, June 3, 2026 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Preferred Networks, Inc. (PFN) have entered into a business alliance agreement to jointly develop cutting-edge AI technologies to enhance the intelligence and autonomy of mission-critical machinery and systems, primarily in the social infrastructure and national security sectors in Japan.
In today's social infrastructure and national security fields, which underpin safe and secure living, there is an increasing demand for rapid responses to complex and constantly evolving challenges. To maintain and improve the safety and resilience of machinery and systems operated by customers in these mission-critical domains, it is essential to implement advanced AI technologies that enable autonomous, sophisticated situational assessment and response capabilities.
MHI has long been a leader in Japan's social infrastructure as well as the aerospace, defense, and space sectors. The company possesses advanced hardware design and system integration expertise, along with extensive product knowledge cultivated through its global business foundation. MHI has also accumulated comprehensive capabilities in machinery and system design, development, control, and simulation technologies. Under its management policy, "Innovative Total Optimization (ITO)," MHI is committed to "Group-Wide Optimization" and "Reach Expansion," delivering unprecedented value to a vastly larger customer base through corporate collaboration and IT utilization.
PFN has delivered vertically integrated expertise across the AI value chain, spanning advanced AI models, supercomputing infrastructure, proprietary AI chips, as well as products and solutions. Since its founding in 2014, PFN has built a proven track record of real-world deployments for its clients and partners across a diverse range of industries.
MHI and PFN formed this alliance to establish a long-term collaborative framework that unites their respective strengths. Both companies recognize that this synergy is essential to rapidly deploy complex innovations in mission-critical intelligence and autonomy, ultimately maintaining and advancing a safe, secure society.
Through this alliance, the two companies will explore the joint development of autonomous AI-powered machinery and systems for mission-critical applications that demand high reliability and rapid responsiveness. This initiative will combine MHI's advanced hardware, control, and simulation technologies with PFN's homegrown AI foundation models, AI chips, and computing infrastructure. By embedding these AI technologies into MHI's product and systems portfolio, the alliance aims to drive intelligent and autonomous operations, advanced predictive maintenance, and rapid crisis management. Through this collaboration, the companies seek to provide a resilient, secure, and safe social infrastructure that protects society and clients' businesses from unforeseen risks.
Based on the progress of this business alliance, the companies aim to conclude a capital and business alliance agreement within fiscal 2026. By establishing a stronger cooperative foundation, including capital ties, the two companies intend to accelerate mid- to long-term R&D investments and commercialization efforts.
Going forward, both companies will continue to maximize their respective strengths and contribute to building sustainable, secure, and safe social infrastructure through innovation driven by AI technologies.
About Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world's leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense.MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world.For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.
About Preferred Networks
Guided by its mission to "Make the real world computable and create the future together," Preferred Networks, Inc. (PFN) develops advanced software and hardware technologies through a vertically integrated approach spanning the entire AI value chain—from AI chips and computing infrastructure to generative AI foundation models and solutions across a wide range of industries. Founded in 2014 in Tokyo, PFN currently develops and delivers the MN-Core™ series of AI processors, the PFCP™ cloud platform for AI computing, and the Japan-developed generative AI foundation model PLaMo™.https://www.preferred.jp/en/
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com.