Ululu BPO Launches 'ULURU AI Bridge' to Undertake Corporate AI Utilization

Uluru BPO Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Yuhei Okeyama; hereinafter 'Uluru BPO'), a wholly owned subsidiary of Uluru Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President & CEO: Tomoya Hoshi), which aims to solve labor shortage issues through its unique model combining AI and human resources, has begun offering a new service, 'ULURU AI Bridge,' to support corporate AI utilization at the operational level. This service provides end-to-end support for AI utilization and entrenchment in the field through diagnosis, design, and implementation, addressing challenges faced after AI introduction such as 'inability to use it effectively' and 'failure to integrate into operations.' Additionally, the company is recruiting 10 companies as free (Note 1) PoC partners to support practical AI utilization verification. Note 1: Details of the verification scope and requirements covered by the free offer will be provided during individual consultations. 'ULURU AI Bridge' service page: https://uluru-ai.com/ ■ Background for Offering 'ULURU AI Bridge' In recent years, driven by the spread of generative AI, the environment surrounding AI utilization has changed rapidly, with various tools and support services being offered. Tool vendors providing AI itself, consulting firms designing introduction and utilization strategies, and training services improving employee literacy each play a crucial role in supporting the entry point for AI utilization. However, the reality is that sustainable utilization, such as operational design for using AI in the field, data preparation, and improvement efforts, is often left to the operational sites. According to a survey on 'Actual Usage and Challenges After Generative AI Introduction' (Note 2) conducted by Uluru BPO targeting 1,201 business professionals involved in the introduction and utilization of AI tools in companies, over 80% (80.9%) of organizations use generative AI, but one in three (33.6%) responded that they are 'unable to utilize it for core tasks.' Furthermore, the survey revealed that the group who answered 'I don't have the bandwidth to focus on generative AI utilization' had the highest rate (44.7%) of 'using it considerably,' indicating that the more advanced the utilization, the less capacity there is for improvement and expanding the scope of use. Based on these results, recognizing the growing need for support that handles 'operational design and management of utilization in the field' after AI introduction, the company decided to offer 'ULURU AI Bridge.' Note 2: Detailed results of the 'Survey on Actual Usage and Challenges After Generative AI Introduction': https://www.uluru.biz/25154 ■ Overview of 'ULURU AI Bridge' Service 'ULURU AI Bridge' combines the following two newly offered services through three processes: 'Diagnose, Build, and Walk Beside,' realizing AI utilization support tailored to organizational growth and changes in the field. Furthermore, by continuously cycling through these three processes, not just providing one-time introduction support, the service aims to create a state where AI continues to be used in the field, even after operational entrenchment, by reviewing new challenges and measures. [Three Processes] Diagnose: Using the AI Utilization Diagnosis, identify the current state of AI utilization in the company and the bottlenecks hindering implementation in operations. Build: Based on the diagnosis results, select necessary services from 'U-Series' and build and implement the foundation for AI utilization optimized for each company's situation. Walk Beside: Even after implementation, enter the field and thoroughly support operational entrenchment. Capture changes in the field through regular interviews and monitoring, and immediately feed back to the 'Diagnose/Build' process when new challenges arise. By repeating this cycle, the service supports the creation of an organization where AI utilization becomes entrenched in the field, leading to continuous operational improvement. [Services Offered] ① AI Utilization Diagnosis The AI Utilization Diagnosis is a service that visualizes the current state of a company's AI utilization and presents a concrete roadmap for implementation. Two types of diagnoses are available depending on the stage of AI utilization and the depth of challenges: a 'WEB Diagnosis' that easily calculates detailed scores based on 8 indicators for self-checking towards problem-solving, and a 'Precision Diagnosis' that delves deeply into each company's specific challenges and objectives, supporting companies according to their AI utilization phase. ② U-Series 'U-Series' is a set of 19 services organized into 5 categories covering the practical work necessary for AI utilization. The 5 categories are 'Strategy Design,' 'Digital Assetization,' 'Knowledge Visualization,' 'Data Infrastructure Development,' and 'Implementation & Entrenchment,' covering a wide range of practical areas required for AI utilization, from upstream utilization concepts to data preparation and operational entrenchment in the field. ■ Service Provision Structure To entrench AI utilization in the field, it is essential to go beyond tool introduction and include operational design, data preparation, and process design tailored to each company's actual business conditions. For 20 years, Uluru BPO has supported over 6,000 companies in improving operational efficiency and has designed and operated diverse business workflows through more than 33,000 cumulative contracted projects. Leveraging the 'Direction Know-how' cultivated through this vast track record, the company supports the practical entrenchment of AI utilization. This service combines diverse resources such as its own BPO centers, domestic and international partners, and a broad cloud worker network to build an operational structure tailored to each company's situation. ・In-house BPO centers with a strict security system for approximately 400 personnel The company has a digitization-specialized center in Tokushima, and customer support/success-specialized centers in Oita and Fukuoka, providing an operational environment capable of handling highly confidential tasks. ・Partner network of over 100 companies In addition to offshore/nearshore BPO partners, the company possesses a strong network of partners in diverse fields, including AI tool vendors, consulting firms, and training service providers. It can handle highly specialized areas from a neutral standpoint, not tied to specific tools. ・Cloud sourcing service 'Shufti' Utilizing 'Shufti,' a cloud sourcing platform operated by the Uluru Group with 490,000 registered members, enabling the construction of operational structures requiring scale and speed. [Recruiting 10 Companies as Free PoC Partners for 'ULURU AI Bridge'] To mark the launch of this service, the company is recruiting 10 companies as PoC partners to support practical AI utilization verification. This initiative supports companies facing challenges such as 'wanting to introduce AI but unable to proceed' or 'unable to envision how to utilize it,' helping them take their first step towards AI utilization. Uluru BPO Co., Ltd. Contact: Hirayama contact_bpo@uluru.jp ■ Future Outlook Corporate AI utilization is shifting to a phase where 'continued use in the field' is more important than the introduction itself. Meanwhile, as operations, data, and organizational structures continue to change, continuous improvement and operational support are indispensable for entrenching AI utilization. Through 'ULURU AI Bridge,' Uluru BPO will support companies so that their AI utilization does not end as a temporary initiative but continues to produce results in the field. Furthermore, by supporting peripheral tasks such as data preparation, the company contributes to creating an environment where companies can concentrate resources on their core business, which they should focus on.