Line Yahoo and SoftBank to Require All Employees to Use AI
Move Aims to Build In-House AI Expertise as Japan Lags in Adoption
Line Yahoo, a subsidiary of Japan's SoftBank Group led by Chairman Masayoshi Son, and the telecommunications company SoftBank will make the use of artificial intelligence (AI) mandatory for their employees.
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on July 12, Line Yahoo plans to soon establish regulations requiring all employees to use AI in their work, including market analysis and meeting minutes preparation.
Additionally, it is reported that the telecommunications subsidiary SoftBank will mandate all employees to participate in the development of AI applications (apps).
This move is intended to accumulate in-house AI utilization models and expertise in preparation for the widespread adoption of AI agents.
Another subsidiary, PayPay, has also begun reviewing its personnel and labor management operations in anticipation of AI implementation.
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported, "As of last year, the utilization rate of generative AI in Japanese workplaces was 32%, which is below the global average of 75%," and noted, "It is rare for Japanese companies to make AI use mandatory."
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