CosBE and the LBP Group have announced plans to launch “LBP-AX,” a service designed to deliver full-scale AI transformation to small and mid-sized companies nationwide. The launch is scheduled for 1 September 2026.
While large companies are progressing with business design based on AI, concerns have been raised that the gap is widening because regional small and mid-sized companies lack the environment needed to adopt AI. CosBE and the LBP Group are joining forces to address this “AI divide” and build a framework for delivering AI transformation to small and mid-sized companies nationwide.
The partnership is centered on CosBE Incorporated and ロングブラックパートナーズ株式会社 (the LBP Group). The two companies will launch “LBP-AX,” a full-scale AI transformation service providing end-to-end support from business strategy through AI design, development and implementation. CosBE’s global AI development capabilities and AX expertise, validated and systematized through practical applications, will be combined with the LBP Group’s nationwide business support platform.
According to a Teikoku Databank survey, 32.4% of small and mid-sized companies use generative AI in their operations, but the survey indicates a gap in the nature of the initiatives undertaken by large companies and small and mid-sized companies. Small and mid-sized companies primarily use general-purpose tools, and challenges including a shortage of specialized personnel and expertise have been identified. Addressing the AI divide is therefore a key challenge.
Through the partnership, the companies will use the LBP Group’s network of small and mid-sized companies extending nationwide from Hokkaido to Okinawa to provide integrated consulting and development services combining AI design and development tailored to management challenges with business transformation. The launch is scheduled for 1 September 2026.