The Success Formula for AI Internal Adoption: Lessons from SB C&S

The Key to AI Adoption: It’s All About the System

SB C&S, a SoftBank Group company, has made headlines for successfully integrating AI into the workflows of approximately 2,000 employees, boosting operational efficiency. This isn’t just about introducing AI tools; it’s about creating a culture where the entire organization leverages AI effectively. For business owners and CTOs, this is a critical theme.

This article analyzes SB C&S’s initiatives and explains concrete methods for AI adoption that even small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can implement. If your company has introduced AI but struggles with issues like “only a few employees use it” or “we’ve reverted to old ways,” this is a must-read.

Three Key Takeaways from SB C&S’s Approach

Company-Wide AI Literacy Program

SB C&S positioned AI not as “a tool for a select few experts” but as “a daily tool for all employees.” Specifically, they designed tiered training programs: strategic application for managers and daily task efficiency for general staff.

The strength of this approach is that it doesn’t limit AI proficiency to a select group. Many companies fail at AI adoption because only a few IT staff understand how to use the introduced tools, preventing them from spreading across the organization. SB C&S solved this by raising the overall literacy level company-wide.

Integrating AI into Business Processes

Beyond just training, it’s crucial to design AI into actual workflows. SB C&S pre-defined scenarios for using AI in specific tasks like creating sales materials, data analysis, and drafting customer responses.

In my own experience consulting over 38 clients on AI adoption, the most effective approach is to “insert AI into existing workflows without changing them.” For example, when introducing an AI assistant for weekly report creation, keep the report format and submission rules the same, but replace only part of the creation process with AI. This reduces the burden on employees to “learn something new,” enabling a smoother transition.

Setting Practical Performance Metrics

SB C&S measures the results of AI adoption using concrete numbers like “reduced processing time” and “lower error rates.” This visualizes the benefits and creates a positive cycle that further encourages adoption.

For SMEs, there’s no need to set large KPIs from the start. It’s more important to accumulate small successes, such as “reducing email response time by 30 minutes per week” or “achieving 80% accuracy in first-response answers to inquiries.”

Three Steps for SMEs to Start AI Adoption Today

While the case of a large company like SB C&S is insightful, it’s not directly applicable to resource-constrained SMEs. Based on my practical experience, here are three steps optimized for SMEs.

Step 1: The Leader Must First Master AI Themselves

The most critical factor in AI adoption is “showing the leader themselves using AI.” I actively use tools like Claude Code and ChatGPT in my daily work, automating contract checks, background checks, and social media posting pipelines, with 93 AI use cases across 29 business areas.

If a leader only says “AI is convenient,” employees won’t move. By actually demonstrating how the leader uses AI to improve efficiency, you lower the psychological barrier for others to think, “Maybe I should try it too.” You can start with a monthly cost of around $140 (approx. ¥21,000), so I recommend the leader try it first.

Step 2: Start by “Visualizing” Your Workflows

Before introducing AI, visualize your current business processes. Understand which tasks take how much time and which tasks are dependent on specific individuals. In my experience, many companies overlook tasks that could be easily automated with AI, such as “creating a weekly report that takes 20 minutes” or “data entry that takes 30 minutes daily.”

Specifically, it’s effective to start with tasks like these:

• Drafting standard email replies (using ChatGPT or Claude to generate templates)
• Automated meeting minutes (speech recognition + AI summarization)
• Data aggregation and charting (Excel macros + AI analysis)
• Drafting social media posts (AI text generation)

These tasks can be started with a monthly cost of just a few tens of dollars, and you’ll see results immediately.

Step 3: Expand Small Successes Across the Organization

Once you have your first success, roll it out across the organization. Share the success story internally and encourage similar initiatives in other departments. While it’s difficult to suddenly introduce a company-wide training program like SB C&S, you can gradually spread adoption by holding internal study sessions or weekly AI utilization report meetings.

One of my clients succeeded by appointing one “AI champion” in each department to support other members. These champions were trained not only on how to use AI tools but also on a business improvement perspective. This shifted AI adoption from being “the IT department’s job” to “every employee’s job.”

How to Choose a Generative AI Training Program and Cost Considerations

Recently, generative AI training programs for SMEs, such as those from SC Digital and Cyber Relations, have become more robust. Here are three points to consider when choosing a program.

Is the Curriculum Directly Applicable to Real Work?

Avoid training that is only theoretical. It’s important that the program includes scenarios usable in actual work and provides enough time for participants to practice using AI. Cyber Relations’ ‘Manaque’ is a practical program specifically for SMEs, and its appeal lies in being available from a few thousand yen per month (approx. $20-$30).

Is There a Follow-Up System in Place?

The key is whether what’s learned in training can be continuously applied in daily work. Choose a program that offers follow-up support, such as regular Q&A sessions or exercises using actual business data. SC Digital’s program is highly regarded for supporting practical implementation until it sticks.

Does It Include Examples Relevant to Your Industry and Tasks?

AI applications vary greatly by industry. To maximize the training’s effectiveness, choose a program that includes examples relevant to your business, such as quality control and inventory forecasting for manufacturing, demand forecasting and customer analysis for retail, or inquiry handling and appointment management for service industries.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in AI Adoption

Abandon the “Magic Wand” Fantasy

AI is not a silver bullet. Let go of the fantasy that all tasks will be automated immediately upon introduction. AI is merely a tool that complements human judgment and creativity. Especially when data quality or quantity is insufficient, AI output accuracy drops significantly. First, clearly define “what to delegate to AI and what humans will decide.”

Don’t Ignore Security and Compliance

When inputting confidential company information into AI tools, adequate security measures are necessary. Especially when using cloud-based AI services, check where data is stored and whether it’s shared with third parties. In my experience, for highly sensitive tasks like contract review or customer data analysis, it’s recommended to combine on-premise AI solutions or mechanisms that prevent data from leaving your system.

How to Address Employee Resistance

Many employees fear that “AI will take their jobs.” To address this resistance, it’s crucial to communicate clearly that “AI doesn’t take jobs; it frees you from repetitive tasks so you can focus on creative work.” In fact, among my clients, employee satisfaction has increased and turnover rates have decreased after AI adoption.

Conclusion: The Essence of AI Adoption is “Culture Building”

The key lesson from SB C&S’s case is that successful AI adoption depends not just on the quality of tools or training programs, but on how you create a “culture of using AI in daily work.” Especially for SMEs, the most effective way to spread AI adoption is for the leader to take the lead, use AI themselves, and embody its benefits.

AI adoption can start for around $140 (approx. ¥21,000) per month. First, have the leader try using AI to streamline just one task. That small step will be the first step toward accelerating AI adoption across the entire organization.

To all business owners struggling with AI adoption, please start implementing these steps today. If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to leave them in the comments.