Corporate Transformation Pioneered by dentsu Japan AI Center. A Vision for the Future in the AI-Native Era (Part 2)

• Corporate Transformation Pioneered by the dentsu Japan AI Center: A Vision for the AI-Native Era (Part 1)

In July 2025, five companies within the domestic Dentsu Group Inc. ( Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Digital Inc., SEPTENI HOLDINGS CO.,LTD., DENTSU SOKEN INC., and Ignition Point Inc. ) launched the " dentsu Japan AI Center " (hereafter, AI Center), a cross-functional organization serving as the core for AI utilization and development.As management innovation centered on AI and the transformation into an "AI Native Company" progresses, what impact will this center have on corporate activities?

In the first part of this interview series with key figures from the AI Center, we discussed the roles of Units 1-3 and the ideal corporate state to aim for in the AI-native era. In this second part, we speak with Mr. Hirokazu Mizuno of DENTSU SOKEN INC., Ms. Yuko Ise of Dentsu Inc., and Mr. Shinichiro Fujimoto of Dentsu Inc. about the missions of Units 4-6, the strengths of the AI Center, and its future outlook.

Supporting Customer AI Transformation from Both Marketing and Non-Marketing Perspectives

Q. The "dentsu Japan AI Center" has Units 1 through 6.We introducedUnits 1-3 in the first part. What roles do Units 4-6 fulfill?

Ise: Unit 4, the "AI & Data Infrastructure Enhancement Unit," builds upon Dentsu Inc.'s 'People Driven Marketing®' initiative, which we've been advancing since 2017. As part of our efforts to further evolve people-centric data utilization, this unit focuses on strengthening and expanding the "AI Data Infrastructure" that serves as the foundation for AI adoption.Specifically, we are advancing the development and operation of the AI persona "People Model," built based on Dentsu Inc.'s large-scale consumer data, as well as the development of AI agents. We are establishing the foundational infrastructure that supports everything from AI model construction to implementation and operation. The strength of Dentsu Japan's AI utilization lies in the diverse and high-quality consumer data that underpins these efforts.

Fujimoto: Unit 5, the "AI Marketing Transformation Unit," provides two main types of support to help clients become AI-native. The first is BPR (Business Process Reengineering) for marketing operations. We diagnose which AI should be introduced into the client's marketing operations and provide consulting on how to reengineer them. The second is support for introducing AI solutions and AI agents.

Mizuno: Simply put, Unit 1 focuses on improving dentsu Japan's internal operational efficiency using AI, Units 2-4 develop AI solutions and agents, and Unit 5 provides AI marketing solutions to clients outside dentsu Japan.

Unit 6, the "AI Transformation Unit," is the team responsible for driving AI transformation for clients in areas beyond marketing—such as management, business development, HR, and sales. We call this "AI Multiplication," where we combine the strengths of various dentsu Japan companies to drive business transformation for clients.

Fujimoto: When we start solving challenges in the marketing domain, we sometimes encounter issues extending beyond sales and customer engagement into organizational culture and HR. Since horizontal transformation is required, we are currently preparing how to approach these challenges using AI.

Conducting virtual market research using 100 million AI personas, equivalent to Japan's population

Q. Could you tell us about the applications and expected outcomes of the AI persona "People Model" mentioned earlier by Mr. Ise?

Ise: The "People Model" currently under development is an AI persona at a scale of 100 million people, equivalent to Japan's population.

Traditionally, "surveys" were the standard method for obtaining information. However, surveys involve significant costs in terms of effort, time, and expenses. Consequently, they couldn't fully address needs like "I just want a general sense of trends without a full-scale survey" or "I want to conduct a quick survey first to confirm whether a thorough one is necessary."

Ise: In such cases, conducting virtual surveys using AI personas now enables us to produce answers close to those from actual surveys. For example, when a company wants to "first gauge the initial reaction" before launching a product campaign, using the "People Model" can instantly provide highly accurate answers. Planners can then develop their plans based on these results.

The "People Model" has garnered significant attention, with over 60 inquiries already received. We also receive requests to combine Dentsu Inc.'s generic large-scale survey data with data simultaneously collected by clients to generate insights.

The Role of the AI Center in the "AI For Growth" Strategy

Q. Mr. Fujimoto, where do you see the strengths of dentsu Japan's AI marketing transformation support?

Fujimoto: I would highlight three main strengths. First is our vast data. Beyond the large-scale consumer data used in the "People Model," we possess extensive insight data, behavioral data from media integration across social and mass media, and unique inter-company data leveraging dentsu Japan's connections with approximately 7,000 companies.

Second is our marketing know-how. We incorporate the specialized expertise of dentsu Japan's marketers, creators, researchers, media planners, data analysts, and others into the AI products we provide and into the AI built within our clients' systems.

Third is our consulting and system development capabilities. Our consulting expertise spans from DX to change management and business strategy, while our system development capabilities—covering the creation and implementation of AI products and AI agents—are strengths of DENTSU SOKEN INC., Dentsu Digital Inc., and Ignition Point Inc.

Q. How will the AI Centerleverage these strengthsto fulfill its role withindentsu Japan's "AI For Growth" strategy?

Mizuno: We see five key roles for the AI Center. First, and most crucial, is executing and driving the AI strategy across the entire group. Second, it will spearhead dentsu Japan's transformation into an "AI-native company." Third is development: creating and utilizing proprietary AI models and building AI applications.Fourth, strengthening talent development and AI balance. This includes operating the AI Governance Committee and establishing AI service usage guidelines to enhance AI literacy and governance. Fifth, driving partnerships and R&D. We also see it as the AI Center's mission to strengthen collaboration with external institutions, startups, and platform providers to swiftly adopt and disseminate the latest technologies.The six units within the AI Center leverage their respective specialties while also fulfilling these five roles in a cross-functional manner.

Driving AI Transformation Across the Entire Value Chain

Q. What technological innovations and social contributions does the AI Center aim to achieve?

Mizuno: We see the AI Center's social contribution as supporting companies that have not yet introduced or utilized AI, thereby enhancing productivity and revitalizing the Japanese economy. To achieve this, we aim to support various client companies in advancing their AI utilization and business growth.

Furthermore, we want to drive AI transformation not just in marketing, but across the entire value chain, regardless of industry. For example, developing AI agents to pass down the tacit knowledge of artisans is also AI transformation and one answer to the aging population issue. Implementing social evolution in every field through AI—that is my vision of social contribution.

Q. Finally, could you share your outlook for the future?

Mizuno: dentsu Japan has adopted "IGP (Integrated Growth Partner)" as its vision, aiming to become a partner committed to the sustainable growth of our client companies and society.

AI is already being utilized across all four business domains (AX, BX, CX, DX) essential to realizing IGP, supporting our clients' growth. The establishment of the AI Center has consolidated the AI talent and resources previously dispersed throughout the group, enabling cross-group AI development and implementation.Moving forward, we aim to combine human intelligence with AI intelligence to contribute to the growth of our client companies, Japanese society, and the world at large. AI possesses the power to transform not only operational efficiency but also corporate management and the organization itself. Our vision is for people to learn from AI, for humans and AI to elevate each other, and to drive innovation together.

Fujimoto: Our goal is to shift from efficiency to value creation. We will create value in response to customer needs, use that created value as a starting point to revitalize the entire value chain, and connect this to the realization of IGP. It is precisely because of our deep understanding of client operations and expertise in marketing-related fields, cultivated over many years, that we aim to become a true partner. Together with our clients, we will leverage AI to achieve the growth of their businesses.

The application of AI extends beyond marketing, impacting management strategy, R&D, and non-financial domains. For companies yet to adopt AI, why not start by conducting a business inventory with the AI Center? This can lead to reviewing and streamlining business processes, and even reevaluating organizational culture.