note Appoints Takayuki Fukatsu as CSO (Chief Strategy Officer)

note Inc. is pleased to announce that Takayuki Fukatsu, our Chief Experience Officer (CXO), has been appointed as Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) effective today.

In 2022, even before generative AI gained widespread attention, note Inc. concentrated its management, human resources, and budget allocation on the AI domain. As the company undergoes an AI shift, sales in the first half of the current fiscal period (*1) have grown 1.9 times compared to the same period three years ago. Sales per employee have also expanded 2.3 times. Furthermore, note's page views during the same period have increased 1.4 times year-on-year.

Fukatsu, who has led this AI strategy, will now be responsible for the design of the entire ecosystem as CSO. He will create a system where creators, partner companies, and note can jointly generate and share value.

*1: First half of the fiscal year ending November 2026 (December 2025 - May 2026)

note's Current Position

Generative AI is becoming a new gateway for information discovery and decision-making. Notably, note ranks second in the overall ranking of domains cited by AI, following YouTube (*1). Inflows via AI are also approximately 4 times the expected value predicted from search engine traffic (*2).

This is underpinned by the accumulation of 82.09 million articles and works on note, written by creators based on their real experiences and unique insights, as of May 2026. The value of these contributions being discoverable and referenced in the AI era stems not only from articles aiming for search traffic and page views but also from each individual's experiences and thoughts being preserved in their own words.

For over 10 years, note has provided a space where creators can focus on what they want to write, without incentives based on page views. This consistent effort has become note's strength today. We are also seeing an increasing number of partnership inquiries from global technology and media companies.

*1: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000058.000157671.html (Ahrefs survey, June 2026)

*2: Joint research by Values and note (announced October 2025)

Towards an AI-Era Content Distribution Infrastructure

Fukatsu, our CXO, has designed both note's growth model and its AI strategy. He was an early proponent of the "era of generative AI" in Japan (*3) and has participated in various initiatives, including a roundtable discussion on AI policy for the Prime Minister, the Liberal Democratic Party's AI/Web3 Subcommittee, and the formulation of the national AI strategy white paper (*4).

*3: https://note.com/fladdict/n/n13c1413c40de *4: https://note.com/akihisa_shiozaki/n/n3bbe75fa841c

As CSO, he will now be responsible for designing the entire ecosystem across four key areas:

1. AI Utilization: Expanding Content Reach

The content accumulated on note over more than a decade is now finding broader opportunities for discovery and reference through generative AI. note views this shift as a chance for creators' insights and experiences to reach a wider audience and has been pursuing the following initiatives:

Collaboration with global technology companies such as Google and NAVER

Construction of RAG databases through adoption into the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's national project "GENIAC"

Complete overhaul of the recommendation engine

One of the core initiatives is the "AI Context Network," which aggregates fan feedback and official information for each work or product. By connecting articles written by creators about their favorite works or products with official information, it creates pathways for readers to discover new works and products, leading to purchases or consumption.

2. Business Foundation: Building an Ecosystem with Partners

Instead of relying primarily on advertising revenue, note has created a system where readers can pay creators for their content and support their creative activities. The vast accumulation of articles written out of "liking" or a "desire to convey" is now leading to new collaborations with partner companies in the AI era. We are expanding collaborations in a wide range of fields, including publishing, video, and technology, starting with our partnership with KADOKAWA. New revenue streams related to AI are emerging, such as driving traffic to partner companies through the AI Context Network.

3. Creative: Creators' Work as the Starting Point for Circulation

In an era where generative AI can mass-produce content, there are concerns that compensation for writers might decrease. However, creator revenue on note remains robust. The average annual revenue for the top 1,000 creators by annual sales is 15.15 million yen (*5), and this figure is increasing year by year.

Furthermore, we are expanding initiatives to connect works to the next stage, including the "Sōsaku Grand Prix," Japan's largest creative contest that has led to the publication of 34 books, the operation of the story submission site TALES, and the planning and development of works by our subsidiary Tales & Co.

*5: For the one-year period from December 2024 to November 2025

4. Data Foundation: Infrastructure Supporting the Ecosystem

We are classifying and structuring the vast amount of articles accumulated on note using AI, developing it as a foundation to drive the entire ecosystem. note has a wealth of articles based on real experiences, such as "Sunscreen that worked even for sensitive skin" or "Desk I'm glad I bought for remote work." We analyze what aspects are supported and what feedback is received for each product or work. We are establishing a system to provide reports that partner companies can utilize for promotions and product development.

To Our Partner Companies

note is seeking partners to build this growth cycle together. We aim to collaborate with companies across all industries, including publishing, video, music, games, retail, travel, and media, to expand the mechanisms through which creators' voices can be heard.

If you are interested in collaborating or forming a partnership with note, please do not hesitate to contact us.

▶ Inquiries: info@note.jp

Comment from Takayuki Fukatsu, CSO (Chief Strategy Officer)

For the past few years, I have stepped back from designing individual note features to focus on building more fundamental frameworks, such as partnerships and ecosystem construction to enable creators to thrive, and the introduction of AI. In line with the actual nature of my current role in "building note's strategic positioning," my title has been changed from CXO to CSO.

Moving forward, I will continue to work on the long-term vision for note and the foundational design for sustainable evolution, ensuring that creators can continue their creative activities with peace of mind.

<Profile>

Interaction Designer. Representative of THE GUILD Inc. Serves as CSO of note Inc. and CXO of Bengoshi.com Inc. In recent years, he has served as an AI strategy advisor for numerous local governments and corporations, leading AI-driven organizational transformation (AIDX). He is also involved in education as a visiting professor at Musashino Art University and a visiting lecturer at ZEN University.

Comment from Sadaki Kato, Representative Director and CEO

Mr. Fukatsu joined note as CXO in 2017. Shortly thereafter, he formulated the growth model we still use today, and around the same time, we also created the mission, vision, and values together. Since then, he has been active in a wide range of fields, not only in design and UX, but also in acquiring the note.com domain and forming partnerships with various companies.

Recently, his responsibilities have expanded to include building a business structure utilizing AI and formulating medium-to-long-term business strategies. The title of CSO reflects these actual duties. I have always said that "note will become a town on the internet," and I want to work together to create a solid infrastructure that benefits our creators.

Future Developments

Under its ecosystem strategy, note will promote the following initiatives:

Expansion of the AI Context Network's scope of application

Expansion of strategic partnerships and creation of new revenue opportunities

Diversification of creator revenue opportunities and strengthening of IP development

Opening up the data infrastructure and API expansion

note

note is a media platform where creators can post articles, images, audio, and videos, and users can enjoy and support that content. We foster a safe atmosphere and value diversity so that anyone can enjoy and continue creating. Individuals and corporations mingle, creating opportunities to discover what they like and meet interesting people. The service launched in April 2014, and approximately 82.09 million works have been created. The number of members has reached 12.48 million (as of the end of May 2026).

● URL: https://note.com/

● iOS App: https://itunes.apple.com/jp/app/note-noto/id906581110

● Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mu.note

note Inc.

Our mission is "to enable anyone to start and continue creating," and we are building systems for expression and creation. The media platform note supports all of creators' creative activities. Creators can publish content as they wish, receive support from fans and peers through memberships, store owners and brands can introduce products in their stores, and corporations and organizations can disseminate information using note pro.

Location: 6-6-2 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083

Establishment Date: December 8, 2011

Representative Director and CEO: Sadaaki Kato

Corporate Site: https://note.jp