Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to invest 10 billion yen in PFN for defense AI

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has entered into a capital and business alliance with Preferred Networks (PFN), a Japanese AI unicorn, to develop domestic AI technologies for national security and social infrastructure.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will invest 10 billion yen into PFN through a third-party allotment of shares. This partnership builds upon a previous business alliance established in June 2026 aimed at developing AI for mission-critical sectors, including the intelligence and autonomy of machines and systems.

The collaboration seeks to combine Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ expertise in hardware design, system construction, and control within the aerospace, defense, and space sectors with PFN’s capabilities in AI foundation models, AI semiconductors, and computing infrastructure. The goal is to accelerate the implementation of autonomous AI in areas requiring high reliability and responsiveness, such as defense equipment, including destroyers, fighter jets, and missiles.