{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = The Last Ai | type = studio | artist = Ai | cover = Ai - The Last Ai.png | alt = | released = {{Start date|2010|12|01}} | recorded = 2009–2010 | studio = {{hlist|Studio MSR (Tokyo, Japan)|Azabu-O Studio (Minato)|DSR (Hollywood, California)|Sony Music Studios (Tokyo)|Little Big Room (Burbank)|Flyte Tyme Studios (Santa Monica)}} | genre = {{hlist|J-pop|R&B||hip hop}} | length = 41:36 | language = {{hlist|Japanese|English}} | label = {{hlist|Island<ref>{{Cite web|title=THE LAST A.I.[CD] - AI - UNIVERSAL MUSIC JAPAN|url=https://www.universal-music.co.jp/ai/products/upci-1097/|access-date=June 15, 2021|website=AI|language=ja}}</ref>|Universal Sigma}} | producer = {{hlist|Uta|Jeff Miyahara|T-Kura|The Smeezingtons|DJ Watari|Suamana "Swoop" Brown}} | prev_title = Best Ai | prev_year = 2009 | next_title = Independent | next_year = 2012 | misc = {{Singles | name = The Last Ai | type = studio | single1 = Fake | single1date = March 31, 2010 | single2 = Still... | single2date = June 30, 2010 | single3 = Nemurenai Machi | single3date = August 25, 2010 | single4 = Stronger | single4date = October 27, 2010 }} }}
'''''The Last Ai''''' (stylized '''THE LAST A.I.''') is the eighth studio album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on December 1, 2010, by Island Records and Universal Sigma. The album features guest appearances and collaborations from Namie Amuro, Snoop Dogg, Kato Miliyah, AK-69, Judith Hill, Boyz II Men, K'naan and Chaka Khan.
Four singles were released from ''The Last Ai''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AIデビュー10周年第2弾シングルは豪華トリプルコラボ |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/31601 |access-date=June 14, 2021 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natalie Music |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AI、デビュー10周年シングルで安室奈美恵と再びコラボ |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/28754 |access-date=June 14, 2021 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natalie Music |language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AI、今年3枚目のシングルは未解決事件ドラマ主題歌 |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/35110 |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natalie Music |language=ja}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=AI新シングルで加藤ミリヤ、スヌープ・ドッグと強力コラボ |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/38391 |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natalie Music |language=ja}}</ref> The lead single, "Fake" was certified gold by the RIAJ, peaking at number 5 on the ''Billboard'' Japan Hot 100 while "Still..." and "Stronger" charted within the top 30 of the Japan Hot 100.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Billboard Japan Hot 100: Week of 2010/04/07 |url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2010&month=04&day=12 |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=Billboard Japan}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Billboard Japan Hot 100: Week of 2010/11/03 |url=https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot100&year=2010&month=11&day=08 |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=Billboard Japan}}</ref>
== Background == {{Blockquote|text=The reason for giving the meaningful title "Last Ai" is that "I can't say yet" ... Would you like [me] to stop singing? That's not the case! I want to aim for the Grammy Awards, and I want to send music to the world including Japan, so I'm relieved for the future.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AI新作「THE LAST A.I.」に国内外VIPアーティスト8組参加|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/40105|access-date=June 15, 2021|website=音楽ナタリー|language=ja}}</ref>|author=Ai reflecting on the future of her career|title=|source=}}Ai previously released her 2009 compilation album, ''Best Ai'' which became her first album to chart number one on the Oricon Japanese Albums chart.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 22, 2009 |title= |script-title=ja:嵐、ミスチル超え！09年アルバムセールスのトップに立つ |url=http://www.news24.jp/entertainment/news/168084.html |url-status=dead |work=Nippon Television |language=ja |accessdate=June 15, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924113118/http://www.news24.jp/entertainment/news/168084.html |archivedate=September 24, 2009}}</ref> Her 2009 studio album, ''Viva Ai'', also performed well commercially.
In September 2010, the title of the album was revealed and was slated for release in December later that year.<ref name=":0" /> With the release of "Stronger" featuring Miliyah as the fourth single and its B-side track featuring American rapper Snoop Dogg, Ai revealed multiple artists from the west coast would be featured on the album.<ref name=":0" /> In November 2010, the track listing and album cover was revealed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AI新作「THE LAST A.I.」に国内外VIPアーティスト8組参加 |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/40105 |access-date=June 15, 2021 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natalie Music |language=ja}}</ref>
== Track listing == {{Track listing | all_writing = | title1 = Fake | length1 = 4:15 | writer5 = {{hlist|Uemura|Judith Hill|Uta}} | headline = ''The Last Ai'' {{nobold|– Standard edition}} | writer4 = {{hlist|Uemura|AK-69}} | writer3 = {{hlist|Uemura|Miliyah|T.kura}} | writer1 = {{hlist|Ai Uemura|George Tashiro}} | title6 = Incomplete | length2 = 3:36 | writer2 = {{hlist|Uemura|Cordell Broadus|DJ2High|Uta|Tynice Hinton}} | writer6 = {{hlist|Uemura|Jeff Miyahara}} | length6 = 5:14 | length5 = 4:08 | title5 = For My Sister | length4 = 4:10 | title4 = Still... | length3 = 5:02 | title3 = Stronger | total_length = | title2 = Let It Go | length8 = 3:58 | length9 = 3:41 | title9 = Nemurenai Machi | title10 = Wavin' Flag Coca-Cola Celebration Mix | writer7 = {{hlist|A.Coley|C. Mortimer|Suamana "Swoop" Brown}} | writer8 = {{hlist|Uemura|Miyahara|Jeremy Soule}} | writer9 = {{hlist|Uemura|Uta}} | writer10 = {{hlist|Andrew Bloch|Bruno Mars|Edmond Dunne|Jean Duval|Keinan Abdi Warsame|Phillip Lawrence}} | length7 = 3:49 | title7 = One More Try | title8 = Family | length10 = 3:38 | note1 = featuring Namie Amuro | note2 = featuring Snoop Dogg | note3 = featuring Miliyah | note4 = featuring AK-69 | note5 = English Version, featuring Judith Hill | note6 = featuring Boyz II Men | note7 = featuring Chaka Khan | note9 = 眠れない街, Sleepless Town | note10 = K'naan featuring Ai }}{{Track listing | headline = ''The Last Ai'' {{nobold|– Limited edition}} | title11 = Through the Fire | note11 = with Chaka Khan | length11 = 4:52 | writer11 = {{hlist|David Foster|Tom Keane|Cynthia Weil}} }}{{Track listing | headline = ''The Last Ai'' {{nobold|– Limited edition bonus DVD}} | extra_column = Director(s) | title1 = Fake | note1 = featuring Namie Amuro) (music video | extra1 = Ugichin | title2 = Still... | note2 = featuring AK-69) (music video | extra2 = Masaki Bamba | title3 = Let It Go | note3 = featuring Snoop Dogg) (music video | extra3 = Tanaka Taro | title4 = Behind the Scenes | extra4 = {{hlist|Masaki Matsuda|Takashi Mukainakano}} }}
== Personnel == Credits adapted from album's liner notes.<ref>''The Last Ai'' (CD). Ai. Island Records/Universal Sigma. 2010. UPCI-9038.</ref>
'''Musicians'''{{div col|colwidth=25em}} * Ai Carina Uemura – lead vocals, songwriting * George Tashiro – songwriting * Uta – arrangement, production, songwriting, composition * Namie Amuro – featured artist, vocals * Cordell Broadus – songwriting * DJ2High – composition * Snoop Dogg – featured artist * Miliyah Kato – featured artist, songwriting, vocals * T. Kura – production * AK-69 – featured artist, vocals, songwriting * Jin – composition * DJ Watarai – production, composition * Masa Kohama – guitar * Judith Hill – featured artist, vocals, songwriting * Jeff Miyahara – production, songwriting * Yuichi Hayashida – composition * Boyz II Men – featured artist * Nathan Morris – vocals * Shawn Stockman – vocals * Wanya Morris – vocals * Suamana "Swoop" Brown – production, songwriting, instruments * C. Mortimer – songwriting * Alia Coley – songwriting, background vocals * Erik Hammer – guitar * Tim Lou – cello * Geott Osika – bass * Lisa Liu – violin * Mark Robertson – violin * Chaka Khan – featured artist, vocals * Jeremey Soule – composition * Andrew Bloch – songwriting * Bruno Mars – songwriting * Edmond Dunne – songwriting * Jean Duval – songwriting * Keinan Abdi Warsame – songwriting * Phillip Lawrence – songwriting * The Smeezingtons – production * David Foster – songwriting * Tom Keane – songwriting * Cynthia Weil – songwriting {{div col end}}'''Technical'''{{div col|colwidth=25em}} * Ai Carina Uemura – executive production * Ryosuke Kataoka – vocal engineering * D.O.I – mixing * DJ2High – coordination * Okuda Supa – vocal engineering * Travis "Shaggy" Marshal – vocal engineering * Yasuaki Sakuma – vocal engineering * Neeraj Khajanchi – vocal engineering * Hiroaki Okuda – recording engineering * Hiroki Soshi – recording engineering assistant * Satoshi Hosoi – mixing * Suamana "Swoop" Brown – vocal arrangement * Masashi Kubo – mixing * Masato Kamata – vocal editing * Phil Tan – mixing * Dave McNair – mastering * Tremaine "Six 7" Williams – vocal engineering * Tiger – vocal direction{{div col end}}'''Visuals and imagery''' * Toshiya Ohno – art direction * Kenjiro Harigai – designer * Kyosuke Ochiai – coordination * Yasunari Kikuma – photography * Noriko Goto – styling * Akemi Ono – hair, makeup * Akilla – tattoo designer * Hitomi Miyamoto – artwork coordination
== Chart performance == ''The Last Ai'' debuted and peaked at number 14 on the Japanese Oricon Albums chart, charting for eight weeks. {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Chart performance for ''The Last Ai''{{screen reader-only|Chart performance for ''The Last Ai''}} !Chart (2010) !Peak<br />position |- !scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref name="THE LAST A.I.初回限定盤 AI">{{Cite web |title=THE LAST A.I.(初回限定盤) {{!}} AI |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/1374/products/893221/1/ |access-date=June 14, 2021 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref> | align="center" |14 |}
== Release history == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release history and formats for ''The Last Ai'' ! scope="col" |Region ! scope="col" |Date ! scope="col" |Format(s) !Version ! scope="col" |Label ! scope="col" |{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! rowspan="2" scope="row" |Japan | rowspan="2" |December 1, 2010 |{{hlist|CD|digital download|streaming}} |Original | rowspan="2" |{{hlist|Island|Universal Sigma}} | align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE LAST A.I. {{!}} AI |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/1374/products/893222/1/ |access-date=July 18, 2022 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref> |- |{{hlist|CD|DVD}} |Limited | align="center" |<ref name="THE LAST A.I.初回限定盤 AI"/> |- ! scope="row" |Various |December 5, 2012 |{{hlist|CD|digital download|streaming}} |Original |USM Japan | align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web |title=THE LAST A.I. {{!}} AI |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/1374/products/994502/1/ |access-date=June 14, 2021 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref> |}
== References ==
<references /> {{Aisinger}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Last Ai, The}} Category:2010 albums Category:2010s Japanese-language albums Category:Ai (singer) albums Category:Albums produced by the Smeezingtons Category:Island Records albums Category:Universal Sigma albums