Accelerating Local Government DX with Copilot AI Program in Nagoya City

In an impressive initiative towards digital transformation, And-Dot Inc., located in Shibuya, Tokyo, successfully conducted the "Copilot and AI Promotion Program" for employees of Nagoya City. This program consisted of two sessions: a basic and an intermediate course, and was designed to enhance operational efficiency through the comprehensive deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat across the city administration.

Despite initially offering limited seats, the program saw overwhelming interest with over 400 applications, showcasing a strong desire among city employees to harness generative AI for their tasks. Feedback collected after the program revealed that 100% of participants understood the characteristics of generative AI and how to effectively craft prompts. This initiative aimed to empower employees to utilize AI independently, thereby driving improvements in municipal operations.

Overview of the AX Produce Business

And-Dot's AX Produce business, focusing on AI Transformation, offers comprehensive support for organizations looking to implement AI-driven reforms from planning to execution. The company doesn’t just provide tools and knowledge; it thoroughly assesses each organization's current situation, formulates strategies for AI integration, assists in practical implementation, and measures effectiveness post-implementation. Various tailored training programs are devised to match unique organizational characteristics and job roles to facilitate the transition into an AI-centric organization.

Background and Demand from the Field

The urgency for operational efficiency through Copilot Chat became paramount for Nagoya City. A preliminary study conducted before the program revealed that many employees expressed a strong willingness to integrate AI into their daily responsibilities.

Some specific needs highlighted included:

- Summarizing Documents: Extracting key points from minutes of meetings, extensive notifications from the government, and ordinance proposals.
- Creating Content: Drafting emails for citizens and businesses, editing greeting phrases, rephrasing administrative terminology, and accommodating multilingual needs.
- Data Handling: Information extraction from large datasets, developing complex Excel functions, and automating routine tasks via VBA programming.
- Innovation and Planning: Proposing improvements to administrative workflows, creating catchy slogans for public outreach, and developing event proposals.

In response to these needs, the decision to implement the program was made to ensure all employees could effectively engage with AI as a partner in their daily work.

Program Structure and Content

The program was structured over two sessions, each aiming to firmly establish AI as a partner in the workplace:

Session 1: Basic Course - "Integrating Generative AI into Daily Work"

The focus was on developing the necessary literacy to safely utilize AI, as well as basic conversational skills:

- AI Literacy and Risk Management: Participants learned to understand the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI while strictly adhering to Nagoya City's guidelines on handling confidential information.
- Basics of Prompt Design: Through quizzes and hands-on experiences, attendees learned how to formulate effective instructions to achieve desired outputs.
- Experiencing AI Creativity: Workshops were conducted where attendees engaged in brainstorming ideas and restructuring documents, positioning AI as a co-thinker.

Session 2: Intermediate Course - "Learning Diverse Methods for Enhancing Operational Efficiency"

This session aimed at applying AI to more complex tasks and improving the quality of outputs independently:

- Sharing the Latest Trends: Participants received updates on new developments in AI, including video generation, and engaged in practical exercises to enhance output quality.
- Hands-On Application: Attendees worked on summarizing administrative notices and creating automated FAQs, as well as handling complex data processes using Excel VBA and functions.
- Workshop on Idea Generation: Reflecting on their responsibilities, participants identified challenges solvable by AI, crafted their prompts, and assessed applicability in real work scenarios.

Quantitative Impact of the Program

Post-program surveys indicated a tremendous success, with all participants reportedly feeling confident about applying what they learned.

- Achieving 100% Understanding: In both sessions, all survey respondents indicated they had either fully or partially grasped the characteristics of generative AI and prompt design.
- Concrete Outcomes: Participants successfully practiced advanced methods that aligned with their identified needs, such as summarizing government documents, auto-generating FAQs based on public resources, and automating data aggregation tasks using Excel VBA.

Voices from Participants: Enabling Change in Mindset and Actions

The open-ended feedback revealed a passionate commitment among employees:

- "I clarified vague prompts and understood how to obtain accurate responses. I wish to share this within my department and promote further use."
- "With AI performing tasks traditionally dependent on human effort, I've realized we can accomplish our work more efficiently in limited time."
- "I could now perform tasks like VBA creation that I previously thought were too complex, and I feel this is a significant gain. I’m eager to take the advanced course next."

Future Prospects

And-Dot aims to leverage insights gained from this program to bolster autonomous AI utilization and transformation in governments nationwide. Moving forward, And-Dot will continue to address the unique challenges faced by various local governments, aspiring to make AI an integral part of their operations. This will enable public servants to focus more on delivering high-value administrative services that meet the individual needs of citizens.

Instructor Profiles

Kazuki Komori - AI Specialist at And-Dot Inc.

Kazuki has extensive experience as a Cloud Solution Architect at a foreign IT firm, aiding local governments and large enterprises in implementing Azure and optimizing generative AI usage. He earned the position of AI specialist at And-Dot in 2024 and holds the role of CEO at Bit Blend LLC, established in February 2025.

Takahiro Kurose - AI Consultant at And-Dot Inc.

Takahiro has been engaged in software development across diverse fields, including embedded systems, web technologies, and mobile applications. With experience in product training and technical seminars, he has actively supported numerous small businesses in enhancing operational efficiency through digital transformation, bridging technology and business effectively.

About And-Dot Inc.

Company Name: And-Dot Inc.
Representative: Yuta Ibaraki
Head Office: 2F-O1, Futaba Bldg, 1-16-6 Dogenzaka, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0043
Business: Solutions leveraging generative AI and related services.
URL: And-Dot Website