33rd BAB Meeting Highlights Microsoft’s Perspective on Generative AI and Business Transformations

 

On May 22, the 33rd Business Advisory Board (BAB) Meeting was held at the Tokyo American Club. Under the leadership of Vice Chair of the Board of Councilors Masaaki Tanaka, U.S.-Japan Council (Japan) welcomed Board of Councilors (Japan) Member Miki Tsusaka (Representative Director & President, Microsoft Japan) as the featured speaker. Her presentation, “Generative AI and Business Transformation,” attracted more than 80 business leaders and eight Next Generation leaders, including TOMODACHI Initiative alumni and interns.

 

Prior to the keynote speech, USJC President & CEO Audrey Yamamoto delivered greetings to the participants, marking her first appearance at a USJC event in Japan. On behalf of the Kibou for Maui Project’s professional delegation, Mayor of Maui Richard Bissen shared brief remarks that expressed his appreciation for Japan’s support in Hawaii’s recovery after the wildfires and the strong relationship between Hawaii and USJC.

 

During the keynote speech, Ms. Tsusaka highlighted the rapid evolution of IT, including generative AI and the impact of AI on both the global and Japanese economies. She further demonstrated the practical application of Copilot, a generative AI model developed by Microsoft, by showcasing its practical integration into everyday life and professional settings. In conclusion, Ms. Tsusaka emphasized Microsoft’s commitment to creating responsible AI that will benefit society and the importance of daily training at the individual level to effectively utilize IT tools and keep up with technological innovations.

 

Mieko Sato (TOMODACHI MetLife Women’s Leadership Program ‘19) said, “My company has already adopted their customized chat AI service, and although I use it a lot, I realized that there are many more ways to use their services to make our tasks more efficient. After attending the event, I checked out some websites on the use of generative AI and tried to use it, which I had not done before.”