AI Governance and Responsible Utilization
The ANA Group has formulated the “ANA Group AI Principles” and ensures and promotes the responsible utilization of AI under a robust AI governance system.
ANA Group AI Principles
The ANA Group maximizes the utilization of AI technology from a human-centered perspective to achieve our vision of "Uniting the World in Wonder", through the realization of employee growth and wellbeing, provision of the highest value to customers, contribution to a better society, and respect for human rights. At the same time, "Safety and Trust" is the ANA Group's unwavering promise to our customers, and our responsibility that is positioned at the core of our management, alongside toward ensuring safe operations and legal compliance. To responsibly address the risks posed by AI, we have established the "ANA Group AI Principles," which in strict alignment with the “AI Guidelines for Business” published by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, we share and adhere to throughout the Group.
- Ensuring Safety
We strive to apply and operate AI in a risk-conscious manner to prevent harm to individual lives, property, human spirit, and the environment. - Respect for Fairness
To foster a fair and just society where all people are respected, we take measures to ensure that AI does not infringe on human rights or cause unfair discrimination, regardless of race, nationality, age, ideology, creed, or preference. - Protection of Privacy and Intellectual Property
We handle our customers' personal information with due consideration for privacy and security in the utilization of AI. We also take measures to prevent infringement of intellectual property rights, including copyrights and trademarks. - Pursuit of Transparency and Accountability
We strive to ensure transparency of AI systems and explainability of AI generated results/decisions, while establishing clear accountability for outcomes produced by AI models/tools. - Establishment of AI Governance System and Improvement of Literacy
To maximize the potential of AI while minimizing risks, we are committed to establishing rules and systems for promoting the utilization of AI and developing AI-literate human resources.
The ANA Group recognizes the impact of AI and is committed to its ethical use.
Our publicly available Responsible AI Policy explicitly includes commitments to the following:
・Respecting data privacy in the use and/or development of AI
・Protecting the cybersecurity of systems in the use and/or development of AI
・Avoiding potential bias in the use and/or development of AI
・Ensuring human intervention, keeping humans “in the loop” for critical decisions, and defining clear boundaries for what the AI can and cannot do
・Not using or deploying AI systems that engage in manipulative behavior, exploitation of vulnerabilities, social scoring, or unauthorized biometric surveillance (prohibited systems as per EU AI Act)
・Distinct labeling of AI-generated content and outcomes of AI-driven decisions
AI Governance System
Based on the "ANA Group AI Principles" endorsed and approved by the Board of Directors, we have formulated and enforce "ANA Group AI Risk Management Rules" establishing a comprehensive, group-wide governance framework for AI utilization.
In addition, we have established the dedicated organizational body, the “AI Governance Secretariat.” Operating under the strict oversight, governance, and ultimate accountability of the Chief ESG Promotion Officer (CEPO) and the Group CIO (Chief Information Officer) for AI-generated outcomes, the Secretariat continuously monitors compliance with AI rules across the ANA Group. We have built a framework to systematically and periodically report operational status, identified risks, and incident response measures to the "Group ESG Management Promotion Committee." Furthermore, key deliberated matters—including the operational status of AI governance discussed at the Group ESG Management Promotion Committee—are periodically reported to the Board of Directors for continuous oversight and approval, thereby ensuring the responsible utilization of AI throughout the Group.
Major Initiatives
- Risk Assessment and Implementation of Countermeasures
Based on the risk-based approach, we accurately identify and assess risks in the provision and utilization of AI systems and services, and conduct regular assessments of deployed AI systems and services for fairness/bias to ensure appropriate countermeasures. - Implementation of Education and Training
To foster a correct understanding of risks and improve the AI literacy of all ANA Group employees, we provide training of employees on the ethical use and/or security of AI. - Management of Confidential Data and AI Access
To protect our data assets and confidential information, we deploy generative AI platforms securely on our internal cloud infrastructure and strictly enforce limiting access to sensitive AI capabilities (e.g. facial recognition, surveillance) only to authorized personnel. - Quantification of AI Impact on Sustainability Outcomes
We leverage AI to improve operational efficiency, reducing manual search and documentation time by up to 90% and 75% respectively, and conduct quantification of the impact of AI initiatives/tools on sustainability outcomes, including visualizing CO2 reduction impacts.