AI Platforms & Digital Economy

The rapid expansion of generative AI is reshaping the global digital economy. As AI-driven applications accelerate across mobile, cloud, and enterprise platforms, companies face a complex matrix of legal, regulatory, and operational challenges that demand highly specialized and internationally aligned counsel.

Mori & Partners’ AI Platforms & Digital Economy Practice provides comprehensive legal support for AI application developers, platform operators, and global technology companies entering or scaling within the Japanese market. Our practice integrates deep expertise in technology, data governance, financial regulation, and platform compliance to deliver practical, business-focused solutions.

Core Areas of Expertise

1. Generative AI Compliance and Model Governance

We advise on end-to-end compliance for models and AI-powered services, including:

  • rights clearance for text, image, audio, and video materials
  • copyright exposure and derivative-work risk mitigation
  • developer policies for model fine-tuning and API-based services

2. Data, Privacy, and Digital Rights

AI applications rely on intensive data flows. We assist clients in ensuring lawful data usage by addressing:

  • personal data processing under Japan’s APPI
  • biometric, voice, and image data handling
  • consent design, opt-out mechanisms, and retention governance

3. In-App Monetization, PSA Compliance, and Prepaid Payment Instruments

As AI applications introduce higher-value subscriptions and token-based credit systems, financial regulation is increasingly relevant. We advise on:

  • in-app purchases (IAP) structuring
  • classification of digital credits/tokens under the Payment Services Act
  • prepaid payment instrument (PPI) registration, reporting, and fund-deposit obligations

4. Consumer Protection and Youth Safety

AI services raise new consumer-law considerations, especially for minors. We guide clients on:

  • advertising, representation, and claim-substantiation requirements
  • harmful-content safeguards
  • age-verification and parental-consent frameworks
  • safe deployment of generative and conversational AI for youth users

Representative Experience

Our recent experience in the AI and digital platform space includes:

  • Advised a global AI-driven content platform on Japanese market entry, including regulatory mapping across the APPI, copyright law, and consumer protection regulations, and the structuring of localized terms of service and privacy policies.
  • Counseled an international technology company on the classification of digital credits and subscription models under Japan’s Payment Services Act, including analysis of prepaid payment instrument (PPI) implications and fund deposit obligations.
  • Supported a large-scale online platform in conducting privacy impact assessments (PIAs) and designing data governance frameworks for AI-powered recommendation and personalization systems.
  • Advised on AI model training data risk, including copyright exposure assessment and derivative-work mitigation strategies in connection with text and image-based generative AI systems.
  • Provided regulatory guidance to overseas platform operators on in-app monetization, token-based ecosystems, and compliance with Japanese advertising and labeling requirements.
  • Assisted multinational digital businesses in developing internal AI governance policies, including internal review procedures, model deployment controls, and cross-border data transfer structuring.