NHK


 

Businesses in Japan are expanding their use of generative artificial intelligence to human-resources management, including staff training and evaluation.

A subsidiary of precision-machinery maker, Ricoh, started using generative AI this year to train new recruits in sales work.

Staff wear goggles as they pitch the company's products to AI-generated clients, and AI also evaluates their performance.

Kawamura Koji of Ricoh Japan said "This will allow for a significant increase in role-playing and as a result, our staff will be able to communicate better with customers, and listen to their problems as much as possible.

Cable-TV operator JCOM plans to introduce AI to evaluate call-center staff by next March.

AI will analyze interactions between employees and customers for criteria such as clarity of staff explanations, and estimate how the customers are feeling.

A call-center manager said past evaluations were based on assessment of only about 2 percent of conversations, but AI can analyze all staff-client interactions.

She said the technology will help the company grow.