Digital/Technology

How Will AI Change Consumers’ Information Behavior?

With the widespread adoption and evolution of generative AI—and the anticipated future proliferation of personal AI agents—consumers’ “information behaviors”—such as finding, utilizing, and making decisions based on information—are reaching a major turning point. The shift from an era of searching for information via search engines and social media to an era of obtaining information through dialogue with AI is already beginning to influence both consumer decision-making and corporate marketing strategies. We will explore how consumers’ access to information, decision-making, and self-understanding are changing.

Kentaro Yoshida, Yoko Kibata, Yasuhiro Tsuchiya, Kishimoto Kazuya, Rei Tai

How AI Is Changing Consumers’ Information Behavior and the Future of Corporate Communication [1/1]

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Improving the Resolution of Insights for 44 Million LINE Friends and Users Without Linked Accounts! DHC’s Challenge: Integrated Analysis and Campaign Design

DHC’s official LINE account, launched in 2013, surpassed 44 million friends in April 2026. Through this channel—which facilitates communication that goes beyond mere sales promotion—the company is leveraging the “SynWA Project,” a joint analytics initiative promoted by LINE Yahoo and Dentsu Group in Japan, to further advance its CRM capabilities.We spoke with the project lead in detail about the integrated analysis using first-party data and the effective delivery strategies made possible by it.

Hazuki Kameda, Jun Suda, Kim Hyun-ji, Chihiro Haribara

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Will AI “enhance” or “take away” the joy of shopping?

With the rapid spread of generative AI, the process consumers go through—from gathering information to making a purchase—is undergoing significant changes. Dentsu Digital Inc. has established the “with AI Lab,” a research organization aimed at understanding the reality of consumer insights in the AI era and identifying signs of change. A glimpse into the lab’s activities...

Hajime Sasaki, Ryota Akimoto, Nanako Ochi

With AI Lab: Envisioning a “Half-Step into the Future” for Consumers and AI [2/2]

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“KDDI SUMMIT 2026” Held to Showcase the Latest Examples of AI Implementation in Society

On October 27 and 28, 2026, KDDI will host “KDDI SUMMIT 2026,” one of the KDDI Group’s largest business events, in a hybrid format combining an in-person event at the TAKANAWA GATEWAY Convention Center with online streaming. Registration for participants is now open on the “KDDI SUMMIT 2026” special website.

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Lighting Ceremony for “SINFONIA,” a Project Commemorating the 160th Anniversary of Japan-Italy Diplomatic Relations, to Be Held on October 14

Dentsu Inc., which participates as one of the organizers in the “Executive Committee for the Osaka Castle Project Commemorating the 160th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and Italy,” held a media-exclusive lighting ceremony for the projection mapping installation “SINFONIA” at Osaka Castle’s Honmaru on Wednesday, October 14.Speakers at the lighting ceremony included Mario Andrea Vattani, Italian Ambassador to Japan; Hideyuki Yokoyama, Mayor of Osaka; Dennis Coan, President of Bulgari Japan (the event’s sponsor); and Ren Meguro, Bulgari Ambassador. The event will be open to the public for 11 days, from Thursday, October 15, through Sunday, October 25.Every night, the artwork will be projected onto the south face of Osaka Castle’s main tower for approximately six minutes. The display—which depicts the 160-year history of cultural exchange between Japan and Italy, beginning with their first encounter and extending into the future—is free and requires no advance registration.

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“VISIONGRAM”: Enabling the Sharing of How Each Person with a Visual Impairment Perceives the World

The way people with visual impairments perceive their surroundings varies from person to person. However, it is difficult to describe these visual experiences in words, which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings between people with and without visual impairments. “VISIONGRAM” was created to address these challenges...

Kazuhiro Shimura

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Trending Terms for October 2026

Attention is also turning to the technologies that underpin the evolution of AI. One such technology is “CPO (photoelectric integration),” which helps reduce power consumption. At the same time, as AI becomes more prevalent in our daily lives, a new challenge has emerged: “cognitive surrender,” in which people accept AI’s answers without question. How far will technology advance, and how should we engage with it? Here are October’s trending terms.

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Trending Terms for September 2026

“Aquaponics,” which explores new approaches to food production; “Active Bystander,” which encourages people to take action to support others; and “Agentic Defense,” which symbolizes an era where AI protects AI. September’s trending terms reflect the changes surrounding us—from responses to environmental issues to the nature of the workplace and society, and the evolution of technology. We’ll be focusing on new initiatives aimed at creating a sustainable and secure society.

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Key Players Facing the Future of Deep Tech Gather—What Is the “Creative Conflict” That the TECHNIUM Global Conference Aims For?

As social issues grow increasingly complex, expectations for deep tech as a solution are rising. However, outstanding research findings and technologies do not automatically translate into the power to drive societal change. This requires long-term funding, management talent to drive the business forward, partnerships with large corporations, and support for real-world implementation...

Akio Arima, Keigo Yato, Tomohiro Yamamoto, Ryo Sasaki, Tomohiro Katayama, Yoshiaki Takai

STARTUP GROWTH TALK [11/11]

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From “Reaching” to “Being Chosen”: What Is Media Strategy in the AI Era?

We are moving toward a world where AI learns from and organizes countless pieces of information and content from around the globe, providing each individual with the optimal answer.Consumers no longer need to actively seek out information themselves. Information disseminated by companies is first vetted by the consumer’s “AI agent”—a gatekeeper—which determines whether it reaches the consumer’s eyes. The premise of “how to deliver it” is crumbling. Now, the question “Is this a brand that will be chosen by AI?” is becoming the starting point for planning.

Isao Asada

Information Media White Paper ~ The Forefront of Planning 2026: “Connection Planning in the AI Era” ~ [1/1]

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Accelerate “Ambidextrous Management” Through the Internal Utilization of Technology PR

・What is Technology Public Relations? It refers to corporate communications regarding a company’s “technology,” particularly external communications. Collaboration between the technology and public relations departments to appropriately communicate the company’s technology to the outside world is of great significance in corporate management. In this series, we will examine both the management perspective and the academic perspective...

Atari Norihito

The Case for "Technology PR": Are There "Treasure Troves" Hidden in Your Company’s Technology Department? [2/2]

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We Tried Making “Neko-chan Editor”—From Pupils to Fur, Bring Your Very Own Cat to Life

This is a series that showcases the latest cat-related projects and unique research and development that combine technology and creativity. To coincide with World Cat Day, we are launching the official Neko Labo Tokyo website and “Neko-chan Editor.”

Mizuho Akisawa, Momoko Negishi, Kanata Yamagishi

Nekobako Newsletter [6/6]

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Trending Terms for August 2026

“Context Cartography,” which maps the context that AI tends to overlook; “EUDR,” which visualizes the risk of deforestation beyond the supply chain; and “Friendflation,” which reveals the hidden costs of social interactions. What emerges is a trend of our times aimed at re-examining values, relationships, and risks that were previously ambiguous. Here, we introduce keywords that reflect changes in society, business, and technology.

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Will “Attention” Change How Ads Are Evaluated?—Three Companies, Including KDDI, Explore the Potential of a New Common Metric

Even with the same number of impressions, there can be significant differences in advertising effectiveness—and the factor driving that difference is the “attention” that consumers actually pay to an ad. In this article, based on a roundtable discussion among four companies—KDDI, Pinterest (Pinterest Japan), Dentsu Inc., and DJIB—we explore the potential of leveraging attention and the future of advertising evaluation.

Maiko Yanagida, Mitsuru Gosha, Masashi Hatayama, Stephen Leung

The Challenge of Attention Planning [1/2]

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From “Watching” to “Stepping In”—The Unique Immersive Experience Pioneered by Free-Roam XR

While the use of VR and the metaverse has become more commonplace in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, much of it remains limited to “watching videos.” As the value of real-world experiences is being reevaluated, “Free-Roam XR”—where users can freely walk through a space where the real and virtual worlds overlap and share that experience with others—has been gaining attention in recent years.

Yoshiya Okozama, Hirokazu Ito, Kohei Katagiri

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