#Japan #Voice AI #Miki #Miki City #Verbex

Introduction

Verbex, a leading company specializing in voice interaction AI technology based in Minato, Tokyo, has launched an experimental program in collaboration with Miki City in Hiroshima Prefecture. This initiative aims to incorporate AI-driven voice technology to enhance telephone response services for citizens.

Experiment Overview

The testing phase focuses on addressing phone inquiries regarding waste sorting methods and collection schedules. Citizens can now receive automated responses from Verbex's Voice AI 24/7, ensuring that essential information is readily accessible. Inquiries that require specific queries or professional judgment will be seamlessly transferred to the appropriate staff members for further assistance.

Background of the Initiative

Municipalities frequently receive a variety of inquiries from residents, ranging from procedures, regulations, and living infrastructure to welfare systems and disaster preparedness. Among these, questions concerning waste management methods and collection days are prevalent and directly impact daily life. In Miki City alone, phone inquiries related to waste management average between 15 to 30 calls per day. This highlights an urgent need for efficient information dissemination methods, especially when considering a significant volume of similar inquiries consistently received by city offices.

Why AI for Citizen Queries?

Often, these standard inquiries consume valuable time for municipal employees, who would otherwise be engaged in more critical tasks. The reliance on staff to handle queries limits their capacity for specialized consultations and performance. Additionally, the accessibility of information outside business hours presents a challenge for citizens who may need answers late at night or on holidays. With growing administrative burdens, municipalities are in dire need of innovative solutions that can both improve service quality and alleviate staff workload.

The Actual Pilot Program

In this trial, Verbex's Voice AI will be available on a dedicated hotline for citizens to call in their questions about waste management and collection days. The AI system will quickly identify the inquiry, utilizing pre-established FAQs to provide immediate responses. For questions beyond its capabilities, the AI will facilitate the transfer of the call to a live staff member. This experimental phase is set to run from July 1 to July 31, 2026.

Taking Steps from Internal Testing to Public Use

Previously, in March 2026, Verbex conducted a preliminary experiment within Miki City’s administration, focusing solely on internal inquiries. The results revealed an impressive 0% error rate in responses (“hallucinations”), validating the effective application of voice AI in administrative contexts. This new project aims to extend those findings by allowing actual citizen interactions, concentrating initially on waste-related inquiries. This strategy is crucial in verifying the practical application of AI for automatic responses.

Aim Behind This Initiative

This experimental project seeks more than mere automation of telephone inquiries. It aims to create a system where citizens can easily verify essential information regardless of business hours. For employees, it will lighten the repetitive burden of handling common inquiries, allowing them to direct their focus toward more complex questions requiring deeper expertise and judgment. As inquiries related to waste management are relatively standard, they lend themselves to rapid automation. Employing Voice AI for these common requests means residents can access necessary information via a familiar telephone interface, fostering ease of use.

Analyzing the Data for Future Improvements

By harnessing the data generated from AI interactions, municipal authorities can identify trouble spots—to determine where citizens experience confusion and which details are challenging to grasp. Such insights can lead to improvements in FAQs, web content, public communications, and office guidance. Verbex positions its voice AI not as a means to replace personnel but as a foundational service platform to enable staff to focus on critical tasks. The goal is to simultaneously enhance the quality of service provided to citizens while boosting overall operational efficiency within administrative environments.

Looking Ahead

This trial serves as a crucial step towards evaluating how voice AI can be effectively implemented for a broader range of inquiries beyond waste management. Verbex plans to analyze the dialogue data gathered during the trial, along with the precision of responses and transfer procedures between citizen inquiries and employees. Future expansions could include not just waste-related queries but potentially inquiries across municipal services like general helplines, procedural advice, facility guidelines, event announcements, disaster responses, and welfare systems. Verbex stands committed to supporting municipalities through AI technology, facilitating improved operational efficiency and enhanced access to essential information for citizens.