AI Expo Nagoya 2026 Records 6,453 Visitors, Doubling the Target! Enthusiasm for AI Implementation Grows on the Manufacturing Floor at the First Event in the Nagoya/Tokai Area

Ice Smiley Co., Ltd., the operator of 'AIsmiley,' one of Japan's largest AI portal media, held the 'AI Expo Nagoya 2026' on Tuesday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at the Nagoya Convention Hall.

The event, held for the first time in the Nagoya and Tokai area, concluded with great success, attracting a total of 6,453 visitors over the two days (3,315 on the first day and 3,138 on the second day). At the venue, visitors from companies, particularly in the manufacturing industry, observed the latest AI products and solutions in person and exchanged ideas with exhibiting companies on how to utilize them to solve their business challenges. Beyond mere information gathering, many concrete discussions took place regarding the implementation of AI into business operations and internal company deployment, reflecting the palpable enthusiasm for advancing AI integration on the manufacturing floor.

Many Visitors Gathered from the Moment the Doors Opened! Exhibition Area for Exploring Solutions to On-site Challenges For this inaugural event in the Nagoya and Tokai area, 61 companies exhibited, bringing together over 100 AI products and solutions. On both days, many visitors crowded the venue immediately after the doors opened, and the exhibition area remained highly active throughout the two days. At each booth, in addition to introducing products and services, exhibitors conducted demonstrations using operation screens and actual machines. Visitors could be seen listening intently to the explanations of the representatives while expanding their vision of how they could utilize the solutions within their own companies. The venue featured AI solutions addressing a wide range of corporate challenges, including generative AI, AI agents, image recognition, anomaly detection, equipment monitoring, business automation, robotics, and human resource development. Among these, the themes that garnered the highest level of interest were those directly linked to the manufacturing industry and production sites, such as streamlining inspection processes, predictive maintenance of equipment, labor saving, and the transfer of skills. Concrete discussions based on practical operations took place everywhere, with questions such as 'Can this be introduced into our existing equipment and business flows?', 'How can we utilize our company's data?', and 'What is required to establish this in the workplace after introduction?' Not only learning about the latest technology but also touching actual products and consulting directly with provider companies is the unique value of an exhibition. For visitors, it provided an opportunity to assess the potential of AI utilization in their own companies and to materialize a path toward implementation.

Over 30 Companies, from Local Enterprises to Industry Leaders, Took the Stage! Sharing Practical AI Use Cases At the conference, 36 companies from a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, finance, food, pharmaceuticals, and IT, took the stage to give presentations on a variety of themes, such as generative AI, AI agents, robotics, data utilization, and the establishment of AI within organizations. Companies from the local Tokai area, including Okaya & Co., Ltd. and Bank of Nagoya, also took the stage to introduce their AI and DX initiatives rooted in the region. Each venue attracted many attendees, who listened eagerly to specific implementation case studies and insights on how to expand utilization in the workplace. Presentations by the Bank of Nagoya, Daihatsu Motor, and Mizkan introduced practical examples of expanding AI utilization in accordance with the corporate culture and the realities of the workplace. Junko Yoshimoto of the Bank of Nagoya explained the importance of advancing DX at a pace suitable for the company, sharing not only successful cases but also ongoing trial-and-error efforts. Mugen Taiko of Daihatsu Motor spoke about how an activity started by three volunteers evolved into company-wide data utilization. Masako Higashi and Rio Hayashida of Mizkan shared their ingenuity in creating AI utilization that can be used in practical business operations while having fun, through an 'AI Club' originating from the sales division. AI implementation in manufacturing sites and specialized operations was also a theme that attracted significant attention. Tomoaki Ozaki of Denso introduced an example of production site automation that integrates model-based control and AI robot vision, as well as research on the application of generative AI to robots. Takuro Nishimura of Sawai Pharmaceutical explained an initiative to build an AI agent using research data accumulated within the company to support consultations on formulation development and to pass on the knowledge of veteran researchers. Furthermore, the streamlining of development using AI agents and the utilization of information and knowledge scattered within the company were also discussed. Ryo Sasaki of DeNA introduced the streamlining of development and internal/external deployment utilizing the autonomous AI agent 'Devin.' Kazuo Hattori of Hagiwara Electric explained a mechanism for accumulating, searching, and adding value to primary information obtained at exhibitions and business meetings through dialogue with AI. Toyota Tsusho Syscom shared an initiative to combine Notion and AI to cultivate internal information as the team's 'second brain.' Each venue attracted a large audience, and after the presentations, attendees were seen asking questions directly to the speakers and visiting the exhibition booths related to the themes introduced. The conference, where attendees could learn about the actual implementation process, how to involve the company, and ideas for continuing operations, served as a learning place to advance their company's AI utilization to the next step.

Comments from Visitors 'I use AI personally, but I came to the exhibition because I did not have a concrete image of how it is utilized in companies. At the venue, people of a wide range of ages were explaining AI, and I realized that AI is not just for young people. It was also impressive to see people of the same generation as our company's management actively providing guidance.' (Construction industry, 2 men) 'The case studies introduced at the conference were close to the initiatives we are considering, and they were very helpful. I was particularly impressed by the process of advancing AI utilization while collaborating with each department within the company. I would like to take back the knowledge I gained this time and connect it to specific initiatives while collaborating with related departments in our company as well.' (Manufacturing industry, 2 men) 'Because I am in charge of corporate sales, I came to look for services that can lead to solving the challenges our customers face, and for hints for new proposals. At the venue, I was able to see various products in person and hear detailed stories from the representatives, and I was exposed to ways of utilizing them that I did not know before. I also found several services that could be useful for proposals to our customers, so I would like to share them internally and connect them to concrete proposals.' (IT industry, 1 man, 2 women)

The comments received suggest the attitude of visitors who think concretely about how to utilize AI for improving their company's operations, building their organization, and making proposals to customers, rather than simply viewing it as a new technology. The insights and new encounters gained through the exhibition and conference became an opportunity to advance the consideration of AI utilization in each company by one step.

About the Next Event: 'AI Expo Summer 2026' The next event is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.