Hitachi and OpenAI Deepen Collaboration to Accelerate AI-Driven Modernization and Strengthen Cybersecurity

- Hitachi and OpenAI's Forward Deployed Engineers (FDEs) have begun developing AI solutions to support the modernization of legacy systems, with plans to expand into various industries, starting with financial institutions.

- Through OpenAI's "Trusted Access for Cyber," Hitachi will strengthen its internal cybersecurity posture and apply insights gained to enhance broader cybersecurity capabilities.

- Through this collaboration, Hitachi aims to enhance its FDE capabilities in the fields of modernization and cybersecurity, and further advance its next-generation AI solutions suite, "HMAX by Hitachi" (hereinafter, HMAX).

Hitachi, Ltd. (hereinafter, Hitachi) today announced the formalization of its collaboration with OpenAI to accelerate system modernization and strengthen cybersecurity. By combining OpenAI's advanced AI technologies with Hitachi's domain knowledge and expertise in mission-critical systems and social infrastructure, the companies aim to accelerate AI transformation (AX) for customers and society.

The FDE teams from both companies will collaborate, leveraging OpenAI's AI agent "Codex" to analyze code from mission-critical legacy systems and establish an AI-driven modernization approach that supports safe migration through design visualization. Based on this approach, Hitachi will develop solutions to support core system modernization and plans to roll them out sequentially to a wide range of industries, starting with financial institutions.

Additionally, Hitachi will gain access to OpenAI's AI models for cybersecurity through OpenAI's "Trusted Access for Cyber" (TAC)*2. This initiative is part of OpenAI's "Japan Cyber Action Plan," which aims to responsibly deliver advanced AI capabilities to trusted defenders to strengthen cyber resilience in Japan's critical sectors. Under the defense-focused framework based on OpenAI's Daybreak, Hitachi will explore the use of these models for legitimate defensive purposes—such as remediation and verification—under appropriate safeguards, governance, and human oversight. Through this initiative, Hitachi's cybersecurity center of excellence, "Cyber CoE," will advance the verification of Hitachi's own systems as a "customer zero" and apply the insights gained to future cybersecurity enhancements.

Furthermore, Hitachi will leverage this collaboration to strengthen its FDE capabilities in modernization and cybersecurity, and integrate the insights gained into the continuous advancement of "HMAX by Hitachi" (HMAX), its next-generation suite of AI-powered solutions for social infrastructure innovation.

Through these efforts, Hitachi will support customers in building and operating resilient systems and drive the advancement of AI transformation (AX) in the social infrastructure domain.

*1 October 21, 2025 Press Release: Hitachi and OpenAI Agree on Strategic Partnership Focused on Global AI Data Center Expansion

*2 February 5, 2026 OpenAI Announcement: Introduction of Trusted Access for Cyber

■ Background

Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OpenAI in October 2025, Hitachi has been exploring the use of OpenAI's advanced AI technologies to enhance its Lumada solutions, including HMAX. Currently, many enterprises face the challenge of legacy systems becoming black boxes due to factors such as the retirement of skilled engineers, posing a significant barrier to AI transformation (AX). Additionally, with the evolving cybersecurity landscape, building robust defense systems has become an urgent priority. In response to these challenges, Hitachi has now formalized its efforts to address customer and societal issues through AI in the areas of core system modernization and cybersecurity enhancement.

■ Key Initiatives

(1) Establishing and Delivering AI-Driven Modernization Approaches

To support enterprise legacy system modernization, Hitachi and OpenAI's FDEs will collaborate, combining the advanced analytical capabilities of OpenAI's AI agent "Codex" with Hitachi's deep expertise in mission-critical system development. The goal is to establish a reliable, AI-powered approach covering the entire process—from visualizing upstream specifications based on existing code to migration testing for new systems. Going forward, Hitachi's "Modernization CoE," which leads and drives modernization initiatives, will take a central role in developing AI solutions based on this approach and integrating them into "Modernization powered by Lumada"*3, with plans to sequentially deliver them to customers across a wide range of industries, starting with financial institutions.

*3 October 21, 2025 Press Release: Launch of "Modernization powered by Lumada" to Refresh Core Systems into AI-Native Platforms

(2) Validating and Strengthening Next-Generation Cybersecurity Environments

Hitachi will gain access to OpenAI's AI models for cybersecurity through OpenAI's Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC). As part of OpenAI's "Japan Cyber Action Plan," this initiative aims to responsibly deliver advanced AI capabilities to trusted defenders to strengthen cyber resilience in Japan's critical sectors. Under the defense-focused framework based on OpenAI's Daybreak, Hitachi will explore the use of these models for legitimate defensive purposes—including vulnerability identification, prioritization, remediation, and verification—under appropriate safeguards, governance, and human oversight. Hitachi will apply the insights gained through this initiative to future cybersecurity enhancements.

(3) Developing Practical FDEs and Advancing HMAX

Through this collaboration, Hitachi aims to enhance the practical capabilities of its FDEs in the fields of modernization and cybersecurity. Additionally, insights gained will be centralized and integrated into HMAX by Hitachi's specialized organization, the "Frontier AI Deployment Center," which drives AI deployment in society. This will enable Hitachi to continuously advance HMAX and maximize the value delivered to customers.

■ Comment from Toshiaki Tokunaga, Executive Vice President and CEO, Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi has long been involved in developing systems that support mission-critical social infrastructure, with approximately 15,000 such systems in Japan alone. Legacy system modernization and security enhancement are critical management challenges for all enterprises aiming for sustainable growth in the AI era. We are proud to collaborate with OpenAI to address these significant challenges and drive innovation in safe and reliable social infrastructure. Hitachi will deepen its collaboration with OpenAI and leverage the knowledge of both companies' FDEs to