Exchanging Opinions with METI on Generative AI Utilization and Talent Development: AI CROSS Shares Practical Knowledge of Regional AX Support Model
AI CROSS held a hearing with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to share its practical knowledge on the social implementation of generative AI. They presented their 'Regional AX Support Model' deployed in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, highlighting the structural challenges in SMEs.
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- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 00:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 16:02
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 18:34 (2h 32m after Collected)
AI CROSS Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and CEO: Noriko Harada; hereinafter 'AI CROSS') promotes AX (AI Transformation) support for mid-sized and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) and initiatives for AI human resource development through industry-government-academia-finance collaboration, based in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. On April 16, 2026, AI CROSS received a hearing from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) regarding the social implementation of generative AI and AI agents, as well as digital human resource development. In this hearing, AI CROSS mainly shared its practical knowledge concerning the construction of a 'regional AI ecosystem' through AX support for mid-sized and SMEs and industry-government-academia-finance collaboration, which it has been deploying in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu.
'Regional AX Support Model' originating from Fukuoka and Kitakyushu
The background to this exchange of opinions is the track record AI CROSS has built up in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu regarding AX support for mid-sized and SMEs and industry-government-academia-finance collaboration. AI CROSS considers that the biggest barriers to promoting AX in Japan's mid-sized and SMEs are not 'tool introduction' but 'organizational embedding' and 'comprehensive human resource development.' Therefore, it has been promoting an approach to solve issues not on an individual company basis but on a regional basis.
Challenges in promoting AX in mid-sized and SMEs
While working alongside regional companies in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, AI CROSS believes there are the following structural challenges in promoting AX in mid-sized and SMEs:
- The speed gap between 'technological evolution vs. field embedding'
While the evolution of generative AI and AI agents accelerates on a daily or weekly basis, learning and embedding in the field only progress on an annual basis. If left unaddressed, the 'AI divide' directly leads to a 'management divide,' and mid-sized and SMEs, in particular, carry the risk of being unable to keep up.
- 'Reversal structure of management literacy'
Generally, it is assumed that the management tier leads and the field follows, but the reality is reversed. Compared to a generative AI usage rate of 40.2% for representative directors and 43.6% for executives, section managers are at 58.3% and department managers at 62.0%, confirming a reversal structure where the management layer (middle management) leads*. Unless the management's 'lack of usage image' is resolved, AX investment decisions themselves will not progress.
- 'Inconsistencies in literacy by hierarchy'
The AI literacy required by the management layer (strategy/investment decisions), the middle layer (business design/KPIs), and the field layer (prompt operation/tool implementation) is fundamentally different, and uniform group training does not work. It is necessary to break down the learning design by hierarchy.
- 'Chronic absence of dedicated IT/AI personnel'
In mid-sized and SMEs, dedicated IT/AI personnel are limited, making it extremely difficult to raise the baseline for all employees, including non-IT personnel.
To address these challenges, AI CROSS has built a 'Regional AX Support Model' that raises the baseline of AI utilization infrastructure across the entire region through collaboration among industry, government, academia, and finance.
*Source: Persol Research and Consulting, 'Fact-finding Survey on Generative AI and Work Styles' (Published February 3, 2026)
https://rc.persol-group.co.jp/thinktank/data/generative-ai/
Main initiatives of industry-government-academia-finance collaboration in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu
AI CROSS promotes initiatives to broaden the base of AI utilization in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu while collaborating with companies, government administrations, educational institutions, and financial institutions.
(1) Industry (Corporate Support)
- Implemented generative AI companion-type support for Exploration Holdings Inc. (February 2026)
(2) Government (Administrative Collaboration)
- Registered as an endorsing company for Kitakyushu City's 'IT Scrum KitaQ' (June 2025)
- Took the stage at the Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 'Digitalization Promotion Committee' seminar (July 2025)
- Gave a lecture on AI use cases for the food industry at a seminar sponsored by the Kitakyushu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (August 2025)
- Served as a facilitator at Kitakyushu City's 'Generative AI Hackathon' (October 2025)
(3) Academia (Educational Institution Collaboration)
- Concluded an industry-academia collaboration agreement with Kyushu Institute of Technology (December 2023)
- Concluded a comprehensive collaboration agreement with Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University (August 2024)
- Participated in Waseda University IPS Kitakyushu Consortium (November 2024)
- Conducted a special lecture at the MEXT DX High School (Waseda Saga High School) (December 2025)
(4) Finance (Financial Institution Collaboration)
- Collaborated with Bank of Fukuoka to build a system to support the introduction of generative AI to mid-sized and SMEs (February 2026)
Through these initiatives, AI CROSS contributes to the formation of a 'regional AI ecosystem' that promotes AI utilization throughout the region.
About the exchange of opinions with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
In this hearing, an exchange of opinions was held from a practical perspective based on the practical knowledge AI CROSS has accumulated in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu regarding the social implementation of generative AI and AI agents, as well as how digital human resource development should be in the AX era.
*Reference Information
Source: 'Society 5.0 Era...
'Regional AX Support Model' originating from Fukuoka and Kitakyushu
The background to this exchange of opinions is the track record AI CROSS has built up in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu regarding AX support for mid-sized and SMEs and industry-government-academia-finance collaboration. AI CROSS considers that the biggest barriers to promoting AX in Japan's mid-sized and SMEs are not 'tool introduction' but 'organizational embedding' and 'comprehensive human resource development.' Therefore, it has been promoting an approach to solve issues not on an individual company basis but on a regional basis.
Challenges in promoting AX in mid-sized and SMEs
While working alongside regional companies in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu, AI CROSS believes there are the following structural challenges in promoting AX in mid-sized and SMEs:
- The speed gap between 'technological evolution vs. field embedding'
While the evolution of generative AI and AI agents accelerates on a daily or weekly basis, learning and embedding in the field only progress on an annual basis. If left unaddressed, the 'AI divide' directly leads to a 'management divide,' and mid-sized and SMEs, in particular, carry the risk of being unable to keep up.
- 'Reversal structure of management literacy'
Generally, it is assumed that the management tier leads and the field follows, but the reality is reversed. Compared to a generative AI usage rate of 40.2% for representative directors and 43.6% for executives, section managers are at 58.3% and department managers at 62.0%, confirming a reversal structure where the management layer (middle management) leads*. Unless the management's 'lack of usage image' is resolved, AX investment decisions themselves will not progress.
- 'Inconsistencies in literacy by hierarchy'
The AI literacy required by the management layer (strategy/investment decisions), the middle layer (business design/KPIs), and the field layer (prompt operation/tool implementation) is fundamentally different, and uniform group training does not work. It is necessary to break down the learning design by hierarchy.
- 'Chronic absence of dedicated IT/AI personnel'
In mid-sized and SMEs, dedicated IT/AI personnel are limited, making it extremely difficult to raise the baseline for all employees, including non-IT personnel.
To address these challenges, AI CROSS has built a 'Regional AX Support Model' that raises the baseline of AI utilization infrastructure across the entire region through collaboration among industry, government, academia, and finance.
*Source: Persol Research and Consulting, 'Fact-finding Survey on Generative AI and Work Styles' (Published February 3, 2026)
https://rc.persol-group.co.jp/thinktank/data/generative-ai/
Main initiatives of industry-government-academia-finance collaboration in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu
AI CROSS promotes initiatives to broaden the base of AI utilization in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu while collaborating with companies, government administrations, educational institutions, and financial institutions.
(1) Industry (Corporate Support)
- Implemented generative AI companion-type support for Exploration Holdings Inc. (February 2026)
(2) Government (Administrative Collaboration)
- Registered as an endorsing company for Kitakyushu City's 'IT Scrum KitaQ' (June 2025)
- Took the stage at the Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry's 'Digitalization Promotion Committee' seminar (July 2025)
- Gave a lecture on AI use cases for the food industry at a seminar sponsored by the Kitakyushu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (August 2025)
- Served as a facilitator at Kitakyushu City's 'Generative AI Hackathon' (October 2025)
(3) Academia (Educational Institution Collaboration)
- Concluded an industry-academia collaboration agreement with Kyushu Institute of Technology (December 2023)
- Concluded a comprehensive collaboration agreement with Kyushu Nutrition Welfare University (August 2024)
- Participated in Waseda University IPS Kitakyushu Consortium (November 2024)
- Conducted a special lecture at the MEXT DX High School (Waseda Saga High School) (December 2025)
(4) Finance (Financial Institution Collaboration)
- Collaborated with Bank of Fukuoka to build a system to support the introduction of generative AI to mid-sized and SMEs (February 2026)
Through these initiatives, AI CROSS contributes to the formation of a 'regional AI ecosystem' that promotes AI utilization throughout the region.
About the exchange of opinions with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
In this hearing, an exchange of opinions was held from a practical perspective based on the practical knowledge AI CROSS has accumulated in Fukuoka and Kitakyushu regarding the social implementation of generative AI and AI agents, as well as how digital human resource development should be in the AX era.
*Reference Information
Source: 'Society 5.0 Era...