AEON DIGITAL ACADEMY Adopts “exaBase Generative AI”
– Now Used by 1,000 People at 90 Companies in the AEON Group
Considering Applications such as Store Operations, Product Development, Marketing, Market Research, Human Resources, and Customer Service –
Exa Enterprise AI ( Minato-ku, Tokyo, representative director: Takuma Oue, hereinafter “Exa Enterprise AI”), a group company of ExaWizards Inc., is now providing its ChatGPT service “exaBase Generative AI powered by GPT-4” to AEON Co., Ltd. (hereafter “AEON”). 1000 users across 90 companies in the AEON Group have begun using generative AI as part of their “AEON DIGITAL ACADEMY” digital human resource development project. They anticipate that each user utilizing the AI generation will explore effective usage methods in their respective businesses, contributing to the resolution of business issues.
AEON DIGITAL ACADEMY is an initiative aimed at fostering a culture where everyone naturally interacts with and utilizes digital technologies. Their objective is to enhance customer satisfaction and improve work styles across the entire group through the power of digital. They provide ‘awareness spaces’ to spark interest in digital technology, ‘learning spaces’ where people can enjoy learning about digital, and ‘creation spaces’ where new things can be made using digital technology. These themes guide their various activities.
☑Using Generative AI
As the AEON DIGITAL ACADEMY, they have held study sessions on generative AI for various AEON Group companies. They’ve received many requests from individuals who are interested in using generative AI, as well as numerous concerns about security. In response to these requests and concerns, they’ve worked with their functional companies within the group and their data specialist teams to explore various solutions.
As a result, they’ve launched the ‘AEON DIGIACA Trial Generative AI Service’ based on the corporate ChatGPT service ‘exaBase Generative AI powered by GPT-4’ (hereafter exaBase Generative AI) in the secure environment of Exa Enterprise AI, available to those in the group who wish to use it.
The aim is to use the trial generative AI to help improve productivity and generate effective strategies for using generative AI in business.
Figure AEON DIGIACA Trial Generative AI Service usage screen, with unique information added to exaBase Generative AI(*In Japanese)
☑ Current Uses for exaBase Generative AI
Currently, about 1,000 people from 90 companies across all our business sectors – including Holdings (HLD), General Supermarkets (GMS), Supermarkets (SM), Discount Stores (DS), Services, Specialty Stores, Health & Wellness (H&W), Finance and Functional – are utilizing the service.
The specific usage situations are as follows
Store operations
・Prepare document templates for posting in stores
・Develop ideas for special event sales areas
・Create templates for in-store broadcasts
Product development and marketing
・Propose plans for boxed lunches, prepared foods, etc.
・Generate product development ideas for Generation Z
・Generate copy for limited-time-only products
Leadership and human resources
・Manage subordinates
・Evaluation interviews
・Plan training menus for new employees
Digital strategy, market research
・Digital market research
・Japanese translation of overseas retail reports
・Social media strategy planning
Technology generation, code generation
・VBA code generation
・Python utilization
・Power Automate flow creation
Customer support and engagement
・Persona setting
・Customer journey setting
・Collect possible questions and answers for internal briefings
☑ Initiatives to Promote Usage
At AEON DIGITAL ACADEMY, they operate an internal portal site that distributes various content, including digital initiative case studies, information on regular webinars, and tips videos that introduce useful techniques for PowerPoint and Excel. In order to further activate the AEON DIGIACA Trial Generative AI Service, we’ve established a special page within the internal portal site.
They feature trends in generative AI both inside and outside the industry, as well as videos from study sessions, creating an environment where users of the generative AI service can learn. Furthermore, to foster an organizational culture where users learn from and help each other improve their skills, not just individual utilization, they’ve set up a ‘Communication Bulletin Board’ on the portal site as a place for information exchange about the use of the generative AI service. This is used for exchanging information on the latest generative AI technology trends, useful prompts, and case studies of failures.
In fact, there have been several reports of users obtaining useful responses in their work from the generative AI based on prompts exchanged on this bulletin board, showing that the effects are starting to show.
☑ Safe and Secure Use
In order to ensure that users can use the AEON DIGIACA Trial Generative AI Service safely and securely, they’ve established usage rules. These rules include precautions about input and output data (prohibition of input of personal and confidential information, verification of accuracy), copyright issues, trademark rights, design rights infringement, defamation, and so on. Those who wish to use the generative AI service are required to check the usage rules of the AEON DIGIACA Trial Generative AI Service beforehand, and they are strictly enforcing these rules.
They plan to update these rules as needed, taking into account future legal revisions and usage conditions.
☑Improving AI literacy
In order to improve users AI literacy, they have been holding regular study sessions at different levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced) since January 2024. They share the latest technology trends in generative AI and examples from both inside and outside the group, and provide a program to deepen learning by actually using the AEON DIGIACA Trial Generative AI Service. They are also considering events such as ‘running mate’ projects aimed at solving business challenges and hackathons. Through various programs, they aim to improve productivity and create new businesses.
☑Using Data Linkage Functions
AEON is now offering the “data linkage function” of exaBase Generative AI, which allows dialogue and output generation based on in-house data, to a limited number of users. They want to use their accumulated in-house knowledge with generative AI while identifying and improving issues, such as usage applications and answer quality.
☑ Comments from Mr. Shunsuke Yoshida, ICT Promotion, and Mr. Yosuke Egashira, ICT Planning Team, AEON
Generative AI is an effective tool for improving productivity. We considered several options before providing the trial environment and selected exaBase Generative AI due to its secure environment and speedy deployment. We will use generative AI in AEON Group operations.
☑ About the Provision System of Exa Enterprise AI and exaBase Generative AI
This time, we have set up a system with AI consultants, engineers, customer success, and customer support as Exa Enterprise AI. Each person in charge cooperated to provide hands-on support for the establishment and operation of unique services based on exaBase Generative AI at AEON DIGITAL ACADEMY, including education for the utilization of generative AI and know-how for its establishment.
Since the launch of the paid service of exaBase Generative AI in June 2023, over 40,000 users, mainly listed companies and large corporations, have introduced it, and it’s also used by government agencies. We regularly add new features for utilization, such as data linkage, which allows customers to upload their own unique files and then use dialogue and generation based on that content. We take into consideration the security and compliance issues that are of concern for corporate users, enabling administrative users to monitor usage and register prohibited words.
The ExaWizards Group has acquired international standards such as ISMS (ISO/IEC 27001) for Information Security Management Systems, ISMS-CLS (ISO/IEC 27017) for Cloud Service Security, and ISMS-PIMS (ISO/IEC 27701) for Privacy Information Management Systems. We prioritize security and privacy in the development and provision of our products and services.
【Exa Enterprise AI Corporate Profile】
Company Name: Exa Enterprise AI Inc.
Location: 1-9-2 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Shiodome Sumitomo Building 21F
Established: October 2023
Representative: Takuma Oue, Representative Director
Business: Planning, development, and sales of products and services for business reform and productivity improvement using AI technologies.
URL: https://exawizards.com/eai/
【ExaWizards Corporate Profile】
Company Name: ExaWizards Inc.
Location: 1-9-2 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Shiodome Sumitomo Building 21F
Established: February 2016
Representative: Makoto Haruta, Representative Director & President
Business: Industrial Innovation and the Resolution of Social Issues via AI Service Development
URL: https://exawizards.com/en/
<Contact for public relations>
E-mail address of the Public Relations Division of ExaWizards Inc.: publicrelations@exwzd.com