FinanceMizuho, SMFG, NTT Data and NEC to headline 28-member effortThe AI system will be designed to offer personalized recommendations for retail investors based on conversations with a chatbot. (Photo by Rie Ishii)TAKERO MINAMIJune 27, 2026 01:15 JSTTOKYO -- Twenty-eight Japanese companies, including big banks and tech-sector players, will join forces in July to develop an AI chat tool for aiding customers in asset management, Nikkei has learned.