Information Development Begins Development of AI Masking Tool for Medical Institutions
Information Development, Inc. will commence development of an 'AI Masking Tool' in May 2026 to support DX promotion and the safe, efficient use of medical data in medical institutions.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 15, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 15, 2026 at 11:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 15, 2026 at 12:39 (1h 6m after Collected)
Information Development, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takuya Miyazawa; hereinafter 'the Company') will begin development of an 'AI Masking Tool' in May 2026 to support DX promotion and the safe and efficient utilization of medical data in medical institutions.
In recent years, with the acceleration of DX promotion in the medical field, there has been a growing need for the secondary use and analysis of clinical information and operational data. However, compliance with personal information protection, the burden of anonymization work, and operational challenges have become major barriers on the ground.
To address these issues, the Company will begin developing an AI masking tool that utilizes AI technology. This tool will support the masking process of large amounts of data, including medical images, significantly reducing the workload and enabling data utilization for secondary purposes such as research, analysis, and business improvement.
The Company has already conducted a trial implementation of similar AI masking software for a university hospital (trial operation started in February 2024, https://www.idnet.co.jp/news/4169), and will leverage this expertise in the current development.
The tool will implement a function that automatically identifies and masks medical images containing personal information using AI technology. It aims to reduce the workload and psychological stress of medical professionals by accurately detecting personally identifiable information, such as the eye area in facial photos and patient numbers. In addition to image files, it is also planned to support image files contained within PDF, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word documents.
■ Development Overview
Development Target: AI Masking Tool for Medical Institutions
Development Start: May 1, 2026
Development Completion: July 31, 2026 (planned)
Main Development Functions:
① Automatic identification and masking of personal information by AI (supports medical images, PDFs, and images within Office documents)
② Reduction of psychological stress and work time for staff through automation of anonymization work
③ Reduction of human error and realization of information management through AI identification
■ About Information Development
Since its establishment in 1969, the Company has supported social infrastructure, including financial institutions, lifelines, and transportation, through IT system operation and application development. Its stable management base and hands-on support tailored to customer needs have been highly evaluated by investors and customers.
Going forward, with technology and human capabilities as its pillars, the Company will promote the development of new business areas with a global perspective and work towards its group mission of 'Creating a Waku-Waku Future.'
In recent years, with the acceleration of DX promotion in the medical field, there has been a growing need for the secondary use and analysis of clinical information and operational data. However, compliance with personal information protection, the burden of anonymization work, and operational challenges have become major barriers on the ground.
To address these issues, the Company will begin developing an AI masking tool that utilizes AI technology. This tool will support the masking process of large amounts of data, including medical images, significantly reducing the workload and enabling data utilization for secondary purposes such as research, analysis, and business improvement.
The Company has already conducted a trial implementation of similar AI masking software for a university hospital (trial operation started in February 2024, https://www.idnet.co.jp/news/4169), and will leverage this expertise in the current development.
The tool will implement a function that automatically identifies and masks medical images containing personal information using AI technology. It aims to reduce the workload and psychological stress of medical professionals by accurately detecting personally identifiable information, such as the eye area in facial photos and patient numbers. In addition to image files, it is also planned to support image files contained within PDF, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word documents.
■ Development Overview
Development Target: AI Masking Tool for Medical Institutions
Development Start: May 1, 2026
Development Completion: July 31, 2026 (planned)
Main Development Functions:
① Automatic identification and masking of personal information by AI (supports medical images, PDFs, and images within Office documents)
② Reduction of psychological stress and work time for staff through automation of anonymization work
③ Reduction of human error and realization of information management through AI identification
■ About Information Development
Since its establishment in 1969, the Company has supported social infrastructure, including financial institutions, lifelines, and transportation, through IT system operation and application development. Its stable management base and hands-on support tailored to customer needs have been highly evaluated by investors and customers.
Going forward, with technology and human capabilities as its pillars, the Company will promote the development of new business areas with a global perspective and work towards its group mission of 'Creating a Waku-Waku Future.'