Tokyo--February 28, 2025--Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc. has commenced a proof of concept (PoC) for the utilization of explainable AI (XAI) and rapid AI model generation technology aimed at increasing the productivity of data science operations and available manpower. This project is driven by the Human-Centered AI Institute, a research arm that has human-centered AI as its philosophy, and the Human-Centered AI Initiative, a Groupwide AI center of excellence (AI-CoE), with participation from domestic and international Group companies. The PoC is carried out in technical collaboration with Obviously AI, Inc. (Headquarters: San Francisco, USA, CEO: Dave Nirman), a company backed by top venture capital funds, including The University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC), Sequoia Scouts and B Capital Group.
Background and objectives
Amidst ongoing advancements in AI, issues such as lack of transparency and reliability have become critical challenges. In response, the Hakuhodo DY Group aims to leverage XAI and Obviously AI's Edge Sharp AutoML--a rapid AI model generation technology, to achieve the following goals:
- Expand data science capabilities with XAI
By utilizing XAI to visualize the decision-making process while accelerating AI model construction, the Group aims to overcome the black-box problem of AI and improve its data utilization business response capacity. - Innovate marketing through proprietary bot development
The Group plans to develop bots specialized in customer relationship management and marketing by leveraging the vast big data on sei-katsu-sha* (our term for the holistic person) it possesses and combining it with Obviously AI's agent builder software, thereby realizing personalized customer experiences and optimized decision-making. - Realize technology to support human-centered AI
Under the vision of the Human-Centered AI Initiative, the Group emphasizes transparency and ethics in AI technology, aiming to achieve AI technology that aligns with human needs and capabilities.
- "Sei-katsu-sha" is a term we use to describe people not simply as consumers, but as fully rounded individuals with their own lifestyles, aspirations and dreams.
About the Human-Centered AI Institute
The Human-Centered AI Institute leading this project is the Hakuhodo DY Group's specialized AI research organization. The Institute conducts end-to-end activities from AI technology research and development to practical application, focusing on human-centered AI that enhances human abilities, potential and creativity.
About Obviously AI, Inc.
Obviously AI, a leading enterprise AI company headquartered in San Francisco, empowers businesses to develop proprietary classical and generative AI models through its innovative Edge Sharp AutoML technology. This advanced approach seamlessly balances AI transparency and practicality, serving as the critical technical foundation of this project.
Future prospects
Through this project, the Hakuhodo DY Group aims to enhance the transparency and reliability of AI and promote its utilization in various fields in Japan and around the world. By developing proprietary bots and applying them in the marketing domain, the Group seeks to innovate customer experiences and enhance competitiveness in the global market.