日本語 
Stage AI and BizOptimars have started a joint initiative to help companies in Kochi Prefecture adopt generative AI tools built around Microsoft 365 and Copilot.
The partnership is focused on practical business use instead of just basic AI awareness. The two companies will provide operational support, AI training, prompt design guidance, data management setup, access control organization, and security support for local businesses trying to introduce AI into daily workflows.
A big reason behind the initiative is that many companies in Kochi are still struggling with fragmented data, manual workflows, labor shortages, and heavy dependence on Excel-based operations. According to a 2025 survey mentioned in the announcement, only 21.5% of companies in the prefecture were actively using generative AI, while most businesses cited lack of knowledge and implementation know-how as the biggest barrier.
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The companies say many local businesses already understand AI’s potential for productivity improvement but do not know how to apply it to actual work environments.
The two organizations developed their partnership through relationships which they established at the CLS Kochi event which served as a regional community gathering to develop solutions for local problems through business and technological partnerships.
The companies will conduct a Microsoft Copilot seminar on May 18 2026 to demonstrate practical AI applications together with Microsoft 365 security management and local business case studies.
The entire trend which started in Japan now shows its full development across the entire country. Regional businesses are no longer just asking whether AI matters. The real question now is how to make AI usable inside companies that still operate on older workflows, scattered data systems, and limited IT resources.
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