secondz digital announced a report summarizing the current state and challenges of corporate AI use. The report primarily notes that although more companies are using generative AI in their operations and achieving greater efficiency, this has not yet translated into higher sales or customer value.
secondz digital Co., Ltd. published the first edition of its “secondz AI Utilization Report,” which organizes the current state and challenges of AI use. Based on surveys published in 2026 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Information-technology Promotion Agency and PwC Japan, the report shows that while the use of generative AI in business is spreading, the quality of results varies.
According to the survey, the proportion of Japanese companies using generative AI for at least one business function reached 86.4%, up sharply from 55.2% a year earlier. The figure is not significantly different from those in the United States and Germany, indicating that AI use is advancing in Japan in much the same way as overseas.
As for the effects of AI adoption, 91.6% of companies reported greater efficiency and speed in their operations, while only 3.9% reported higher sales or profits and 4.5% reported higher customer satisfaction. The findings reveal that although AI can make frontline work more efficient, it is difficult to translate this into improved earnings indicators.
According to a PwC Japan survey, only 9% of companies said the effects of generative AI had “greatly exceeded expectations.” Successful companies shared the practice of integrating AI into business processes and establishing in-house operating structures. The report emphasizes that the operating environment established after implementation affects the results.