An initiative to use AI to recreate the judgments and thinking of top management is spreading among major companies in Japan. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group introduced an “AI CEO” modeled after its group CEO in August 2025. Kirin Holdings incorporated “AI executives CoreMate,” featuring 12 AI personas, into its management strategy meetings and expanded the initiative to group companies in April 2026.
NTT Docomo Business is one such company. At “Interop Tokyo 2026,” held June 10–12 at Makuhari Messe, Kaname Nishizuka (evangelist) spoke about “AI Koji,” an AI recreation of NTT Docomo Business President Katsushige Kojima.
Nishizuka says he was initially skeptical of the very existence of a president AI, but has now changed his view. Company executives also say 90 percent found it useful for understanding policy. Just what kind of AI is AI Koji, the technology that led Nishizuka to reconsider his position?
Kaname Nishizuka of NTT Docomo Business
The president AI that began with “Do we really need it?”
AI Koji was born from an idea proposed by President Kojima. President Kojima approached Nishizuka saying, “I want something like a president AI,” but Nishizuka immediately responded, “Do we really need it?”
Upon hearing the explanation, Nishizuka learned that the president had been struggling with the challenge that, although the president repeatedly conveyed the same message in meetings, it did not take hold. The president's distinctive perspective on decision-making was pared away as it passed up the organization's hierarchy. By contrast, with a president AI, employees could check the basis for decisions at any time.
Behind President Kojima's pursuit of AI was a lack of communication about decisions
AI Koji was created to meet that need. It is a chat-based AI that returns answers drawing on statements made at past executive meetings when users ask questions as if consulting the president. For example, if asked, “How should NTT Docomo Business approach Interop?”, it generates an answer that includes past exhibition history and details of relevant solutions.
Chat interface of AI Koji. When asked about its approach to Interop, it returned an answer including details of the relevant solutions
After 70 senior executives used it for three months, there were issues and requests such as “I can't keep up with what was discussed at last week's meeting” and “I want more precise answers to questions about topics outside the company.” At the same time, 90 percent responded that it helped them better understand the president's thinking and policies. It was also used to discuss business and organize ideas, with comments such as “The answers are highly accurate” and “It makes comments that sound like the president.”
In a survey of senior executives, 90 percent said it helped them better understand the president's policies
