NEC develops marketing strategy planning technology using generative AI: Press release

Tokyo, March 25, 2024 ・NEC Corporation (NEC, TSE 6701) has developed marketing strategy planning and effect simulation technology that utilizes generative AI to extract latent customer needs and generate optimal measures. According to NEC's research, this is the world's first technology that can automatically visualize customer interests and preferences (psychological attributes), generate measures, and predict customer reactions to those measures. NEC aims to start services utilizing this technology in 2024.

This technology is being used to develop ideas for new services being considered for next-generation service stations by ENEOS Corporation, Japan's largest oil and energy company.

Currently, companies that provide services to customers (real estate, retail, distribution, energy, etc.) need to understand the latent needs of their customers before opening new stores, launching new business formats, or selling new products and services. We are striving to To understand customer needs, methods such as questionnaires, roundtable discussions, and information gathering and research via the Internet are used. However, these methods lack comprehensiveness and rationality, making it difficult to accurately grasp latent customer needs. Although there is a way to use external consulting services, expectations are increasing for methods that can easily generate optimal and effective measures interactively.

By utilizing NEC's AI technology (generation AI, consumer attribute expansion technology, knowledge discovery/strategy planning technology) and statistical purchase history data such as credit card payment data, we can develop customer interests in designated areas and specific stores. – It is possible to analyze preferences, identify latent needs, and derive optimal measures. In addition, since it is possible to simulate the customer response rate to the optimal measures proposed, it is possible to check the expected effects before implementing the measures and apply only the most effective measures.

LLM, a type of generative AI, allows users to interactively generate optimal metrics and simulate response rates using natural language. In addition, the results are output within minutes after inputting a prompt (instruction text), so you can repeat the analysis until you are satisfied.

NEC's AI technology allows you to collect and utilize highly relevant open data on the Internet, in addition to vast amounts of purchase history data. Therefore, comprehensive and rational analysis is possible even without in-house data (data owned by the company can also be used).

The ENEOS Group's long-term vision is to strive to balance the stable supply of energy and materials with the realization of a carbon-neutral society.

In addition to meeting energy supply targets, ENEOS aims to provide total services related to mobility and lifestyle that support a carbon-neutral society, and will increase the added value of its more than 12,000 service stations nationwide as new lifestyle platforms. according to the characteristics of the region.

As part of this effort, ENEOS will develop demonstration stores for next-generation service stations that cover new services. In line with this, ENEOS will consider utilizing NEC's technology in order to understand the latent needs of residents in designated areas and discover services that can contribute to improving sales and satisfaction.

About NEC Corporation
Promoting our brand statement of “Orchestrated a Brighter World,” NEC has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies. NEC supports businesses and communities by delivering the social values ​​of safety, security, equity and efficiency, and promoting a more sustainable world where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential. It allows us to adapt to the rapid changes taking place in both society and the market. For more information, please visit NEC (https://www.nec.com).