Risk that the speech synthesis market may not expand as expected
First written in FY2018. 6 of 15 entries say "Materialised", first in FY2021-Q1. Latest entry: FY2026.
No other company in this theme has enough history to compare yet.
- FY2026ReframedAnnual report
「The speech business of the group operates in a field where technology development related to the practical application of AI is active worldwide. The group’s CRM business also continues to develop its own products based on a microservices architecture. However, if groundbreaking technologies or services expand rapidly, the group’s business and operating performance could be affected depending on the direction of technological development.」
The scope of the technology-trend risk has expanded beyond the speech business to the CRM business and is now framed as technological change across the group, including AI and microservices. - FY2024-Q3Corporate disaster-prevention business remains steadyAnnual report
「The corporate business also remained solid in the disaster-preparedness field, supported by subsidies.」
Regarding the risk that market expansion will not progress as expected, the company stated that the previously sluggish disaster-prevention field has remained steady, supported by subsidies. - FY2024-Q2Steady consumer products coexist with corporate-product shortfalls against planAnnual report
「Although sales of packaged products for corporate customers were below plan, sales for the cumulative second-quarter period were slightly higher than in the previous fiscal year.」
Regarding market and demand conditions, packaged products for corporate customers were below plan, while steady consumer-product sales and sales from Coestation and other businesses resulted in total sales slightly exceeding the same period of the previous year. - FY2024-Q1Overall sluggishness, but large projects drove performanceAnnual report
「Against the backdrop surrounding the company, sales remained generally sluggish, but large projects drove overall performance. As a result, sales were slightly below the cumulative first-quarter period of the previous fiscal year, but progressed broadly in line with the initial plan and the company reported a profit.」
Regarding market and demand conditions, the company stated that although overall conditions remained sluggish, large projects enabled progress broadly in line with the initial plan. - FY2023Recovery in disaster-prevention projects coexists with slowing packaged-product demandAnnual report
「Demand for packaged products such as “AITalk® 声の職人®” and “AITalk® 声プラス®” for creating narration for e-learning materials, videos and other content used in corporate telework and school online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic had begun to level off and remained substantially below the initial annual plan. However, the year-end campaign performed steadily, indicating resilient demand for packaged products.」
Demand for packaged e-learning and other products that expanded during the pandemic was substantially below the initial plan, and demand growth slowed. At the same time, the year-end campaign showed resilient demand, while disaster-prevention projects showed signs of recovery in the second half. - FY2023-Q3Disaster-prevention recovery coexists with slowing demandAnnual report
「Sales from disaster-prevention projects are recovering gradually as the semiconductor shortage begins to ease, but demand for packaged products has also begun to level off. Sales of consumer products also declined compared with the same period of the previous year, when a large new character project was underway.」
Regarding the risk that market expansion will not progress as expected, signs of recovery in disaster-prevention projects coexist with slowing demand for packaged products and a year-on-year decline in consumer-product sales. - FY2023-Q2MaterialisedAnnual report
「Demand for packaged products such as “AITalk® 声の職人®” and “AITalk® 声プラス®” for creating narration for e-learning materials, videos and other content used in corporate telework and school online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic has also begun to level off, and sales remained below plan.」
The increase in demand for e-learning and video narration applications that expanded during the pandemic has levelled off, and the risk that market expansion would not progress as expected has materialised as performance fell short of plan. - FY2023-Q1MaterialisedAnnual report
「Because the local allocation tax measures under the “Emergency Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Project Bonds” were initially scheduled to run only through fiscal 2020, disaster-prevention projects were concentrated through the fiscal year ending March 2021. The resulting reaction, together with disaster-prevention manufacturers holding back from bidding due to the semiconductor shortage, kept sales from disaster-prevention projects sluggish. In addition, the increase in demand for packaged products such as “AITalk® 声の職人®” and “AITalk® 声プラス®” for creating narration for e-learning materials, videos and other content used in corporate telework and school online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to level off.」
The filing specifically describes sluggish sales caused by the reaction to the concentration of disaster-prevention projects and the semiconductor shortage, as well as the slowdown in demand for e-learning and other applications that expanded during the pandemic, demonstrating that market expansion has not progressed as expected. - FY2022MaterialisedAnnual report
「The disaster-prevention field, which had performed steadily in the previous fiscal year, was sluggish. Delays in the release of some new products in the “A.I.VOICE™” series also contributed to revenue falling below the initial plan for the fiscal year.」
Regarding the risk that the market will not expand as expected, weak performance in the disaster-prevention field and delays in new-product launches actually contributed to the decline in revenue. - FY2022-Q2MaterialisedAnnual report
「Against the backdrop surrounding the company, revenue declined due to the contraction of disaster-prevention projects and the impact of postponing some planned launches of new products in the consumer-oriented “A.I.VOICE™” series,」
Regarding the risk associated with market expansion, the company stated that an actual decline in demand, namely the contraction of disaster-prevention projects, affected performance. - FY2021MaterialisedAnnual report
「The spread of telework and other changes in working practices is expected to advance due to the impact of COVID-19 and other factors, supporting greater use of speech synthesis in e-learning and other educational materials. However, if the individual markets do not expand as expected, this could affect the company’s business and performance. Specifically, the company expects sales of corporate products such as Royalty, Custom Voice and Basic License to remain sluggish because proactive sales activities will be difficult.」
In addition to the risk that market expansion will not progress as expected, the company specifies that sales of corporate products may remain sluggish because sales activities are difficult. - FY2021-Q1MaterialisedAnnual report
「The company was affected by delays in orders for Olympic-related projects following the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, as well as a decline in multilingual projects due to fewer overseas tourists,」
The company stated that delays in orders and a decline in projects for Olympic-related and multilingual work, for which market expansion had been expected, actually occurred due to the postponement of the event and the decline in tourists. - FY2020WorsenedAnnual report
「The spread of telework and other changes in working practices is expected to advance due to the impact of COVID-19 and other factors, supporting greater use of speech synthesis in e-learning and other educational materials. However, if the individual markets do not expand as expected, this could affect the company’s business and performance.」
In addition to the previous risk that the market would not expand, the company added the potential impact of COVID-19 on demand patterns and on products for corporate and consumer customers. - FY2019RestatedAnnual report
「However, if the individual markets do not expand as expected, this could affect the company’s business and performance.」
The company continues to disclose both expectations for growth in the speech synthesis market and the risk that performance could be affected if the market does not expand as expected. - FY2018First statedAnnual report
「The history of speech synthesis since it became practical is short, at only about 10 years. During this period, the market has developed rapidly, and further expansion is expected in various fields, including tourism, welfare applications in an ageing society, and voice guidance for foreign visitors ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. However, if the individual markets do not expand as expected, this could affect the company’s business and performance.」
The company presents both expectations for market growth and the market’s immaturity.