SoftBank has formed a strategic partnership with U.S.-based Sierra to exclusively sell conversational AI agents in Japan. As automation advances overseas, how to overcome cultural barriers will be a key focus.
The call center industry continues to face high employee turnover and labor shortages, and many Japanese companies are investing in AI automation. In the latest development, SoftBank and U.S.-based Sierra have formed a strategic partnership and are aiming to exclusively sell conversational AI agents in Japan.
Sierra has advanced automation in countries around the world, but commentators have pointed to cultural barriers in the Japanese market. A live demonstration examining actual frontline operations and the feasibility of implementing the technology is scheduled to be held as its first public showing in Japan.
The program will examine, through demonstrations and commentary, the vast market that companies are targeting for automation, barriers to implementation at the frontline, the capabilities of Sierra's technology as a potential foreign entrant, and the timeline for adoption and establishment of the technology. Attention will be focused on future developments.
The participants include personnel involved in call center operations, Sierra's head of operations in Japan, and SoftBank executives, reflecting a shared effort to identify practical solutions for automation.