AI guru is helping retool popular Japanese snacks like Pocky

To make Pocky sticks and the rest of the company’s offerings healthier, Glico will need the power of AI. — Photo by George Dagerotip on Unsplash

Junichi Hasegawa has made a career of tackling tough problems, from connecting PlayStation 3 users for online play to researching self-driving cars. Now he wants to invent healthier food ingredients with the help of artificial intelligence.

The 61-year-old Hasegawa built up Japan’s top AI startup, Preferred Networks Inc (PFN), by striking deals and partnerships with the country’s industrial giants, from Toyota Motor Corp to Eneos Holdings Inc.