Dentsu Group Announces "AI for Growth 3.0"—AI-Driven Marketing Transformation Enters the "Implementation" Phase

On May 25, 2026, Dentsu Japan (the domestic Dentsu Group) announced “AI for Growth 3.0.” This marks a transition to a phase in which specialized AI systems, incorporating the practical knowledge cultivated by the group, will be fully “implemented” into corporate marketing activities.

At the press conference held at Dentsu Inc. Hall in Shiodome, Tokyo, the company unveiled a new marketing framework called “PSDCA” and the “AI for Growth Suite,” a series of specialized AI products designed to realize it. This revealed the full scope of the company’s AI strategy as it evolves from the conceptual stage to concrete implementation.

The Evolution of the AI Strategy and One Year of Results

Satoru Sano, CEO of Dentsu Japan, who took the stage first, explained the fundamental philosophy of the group-wide AI strategy “AI for Growth” as “combining human intelligence with AI intelligence to contribute to the growth of our clients, partners, and society at large.” He also emphasized that what clients seek is not advanced AI itself, but rather business growth and enhanced corporate value, and highlighted the company’s commitment to serving as a true partner in achieving these goals.

In the year since the announcement of “AI for Growth 2.0” in May 2025, the group’s use of AI has made significant progress. The main achievements are as follows:

・Launch of a new organization: In July 2025 , the group launched the “dentsu Japan AI Center,” a new organization with approximately 1,000 employees. It is driving AI utilization and business development across the entire domestic Dentsu Group.

・Talent Development: The Group has advanced the development of AI-native talent, with the number of G-Certification passers reaching 1,619.

・Streamlining Internal Operations: More than 4,500 AI agents and over 1,300 AI applications are in constant operation within the company . We expect to generate 200,000 hours of operational efficiency annually by fiscal year 2026, and have achieved a reduction in man-hours of up to 95% in the digital advertising sector.

・Expansion of Client Support: The company has already supported over 200 AI transformation projects and aims to reach 1,000 by fiscal year 2026.

Based on these achievements, the company has announced "AI for Growth 3.0."

"PSDCA," a new marketing framework succeeding PDCA

Next to take the stage were Susumu Namikawa, Chief AI Officer at Dentsu Japan, and Yasuhito Kaizuka, Executive Officer of Dentsu Inc.’s Marketing Division. They explained that the phase of AI adoption is shifting from “company-wide implementation” to “qualitative improvement in specialized fields.” In this context, they discussed the importance of training general-purpose LLMs with specialized marketing knowledge and practical experience.

They then introduced the two engines driving “AI for Growth 3.0” and the new marketing framework “PSDCA.”

・Engine 1: People Model
A marketing simulation environment capable of reproducing the real-world reactions of consumers and markets—which vary by industry and product—before implementing initiatives. Using proprietary AI personas, it can simultaneously simulate diverse individual purchasing journeys (micro) and overall market reactions (macro).

・Engine 2: Creative Thinking Model
An engine designed to prevent the homogenization of thinking caused by AI, while promoting differentiation from competitors and the generation of innovative ideas. Equipped with the know-how of Dentsu Inc.’s creators, it plays a role in generating “Creative Jumps.”

・Framework for Human-AI Co-creation: PSDCA (Plan-Simulate-Do-Check-Action)
PSDCA is a next-generation marketing framework designed on the premise that the two engines mentioned above function in tandem.

Its key feature is the ability to simulate (Simulate) market reactions before execution (Do)—reactions that traditionally could only be observed after a campaign was launched. This allows for thorough refinement of hypotheses during the planning stage, significantly increasing the likelihood of success. The company stated that by integrating these two engines—the “People Model,” which performs precise simulations, and the “Creative Thinking Model,” which drives creative leaps—and executing the PSDCA framework, it will powerfully drive its clients’ business growth.

Core AI Product Suite: "AI for Growth Suite"

Moving from the "Concept" phase to the "Implementation" phase of corporate marketing activities. At the core of this is the "AI for Growth Suite," a series of specialized AI products delivered via SaaS. Its main components are as follows:

・Specialized AI Tools: Six specialized AI tools for product planning, quantitative surveys targeting virtual consumers, idea brainstorming, and planning support.

・AI Agent Platform: Equipped with 10 specialized AI agents under the "AI for Growth Marketing Agents" umbrella. These agents provide cross-functional support for the entire marketing process, from research and planning to execution and optimization.

・Data Integration and Analysis Platform: "AI for Growth Decision Hub," a data platform that supports data-driven decision-making cycles.

AI for Growth Suite Introduction Video

The briefing also featured a demonstration set in a fictional company. Using the suite of AI products, the presentation demonstrated the process from product planning to strategy formulation and media planning, concretely illustrating how marketing operations can be advanced with unparalleled speed and accuracy by fusing human intuition and experience with AI’s analytical and generative capabilities.

It was also noted that many of these products are already available as SaaS solutions and are currently in the implementation phase at client companies.

Moving Beyond: A Future Where AI Connects with AI

Hisashi Matsunaga, President of Data & Technology at Dentsu Japan, presented a vision for the future beyond this: “A future where AI connects with AI.”

He stated that the use of AI agents will enable collaboration that transcends the boundaries between media companies, data firms, and clients, and that the company is currently developing the “Marketing Agent Protocol” to facilitate the creation of high-quality and secure agents.

The company has already begun proof-of-concept trials with multiple partners and is envisioning a future where agents autonomously interact with one another to maximize clients’ marketing ROI.

Reliability Supported by Development, Research, and Governance Structures

Finally, Motoki Ano, Head of the Cross Innovation Division at DENTSU SOKEN INC., and Satoru Yamamoto, Deputy Chief AI Officer at DENTSU Inc., explained the framework supporting these cutting-edge initiatives.

On the development front, DENTSU SOKEN INC., which has a proven track record in large-scale system development, plays a central role. In February 2026, the company established an “AI Development Center” to strengthen its development capabilities. On the research front, the company is incorporating cutting-edge technologies and insights through collaborations with Dentsu Data Artist Mongol—which includes a Mathematical Olympiad medalist—its Indian office, which employs over 5,000 engineers, and joint research with the University of Tokyo.

Mr. Yamamoto also emphasized the importance of utilizing “responsible AI.” He explained that the group is ensuring safe and secure AI usage by establishing a cross-company AI governance framework and setting up a consultation desk that has handled over 1,100 inquiries.

This announcement can be seen as the Dentsu Group in Japan presenting concrete solutions for the full-scale “implementation” of AI into marketing operations, demonstrating a strong commitment to leading industry transformation. It is expected that AI capable of delivering tangible results in practical applications will pioneer the future of marketing through co-creation with people.