#Japan #Tokyo #Asterminds #InTake #CircleAce

CircleAce Partners with Asterminds for AI Consulting Services

In an innovative move to accelerate the requirements definition process, CircleAce Inc. has announced a partnership with Asterminds Inc. This collaboration aims to automate the initial stages of the consulting process, using AI to facilitate interviews and analyses. This initiative is part of CircleAce's mission to support corporate growth through AI and data, embodied in their slogan 'Beyond AI'.

Background and Objectives

The success of system implementations and business reforms is heavily influenced by the quality of early-stage business analysis, which includes gathering insights from the field, organizing challenges, and defining requirements. The emergence of generative AI and AI agents is transforming the landscape of efficiency, transitioning from individual improvement to broad organizational change. This highlights the increasing importance of conducting thorough business analysis.

Traditionally, the gathering of insights from the field has faced constraints. Time limitations and the availability of specialized personnel often restricted the number of interviewees to a few individuals. Aspiring for a broader data set frequently extended project timelines, resulting in requirements that did not accurately reflect the realities of the field.

With this partnership, CircleAce and Asterminds aim to automate the time-consuming initial hearing phase of business analysis using the AI agent 'InTake'. This will broaden the scope of interviews without extending project durations. Consequently, consultants can focus on essential activities such as analysis, design, implementation, and support, enhancing the quality and speed of business transformations and AI utilization.

Features of the Collaboration

The partnership combines CircleAce's expertise in requirements definition and business reform with Asterminds' advanced AI interview technology. This collaborative approach aims to understand corporate challenges and environments more 'swiftly, broadly, and profoundly'.

1. Wider Gathering of Voices: Addressing previous limitations due to time and cost, the scope of interview subjects can be expanded from a handful to hundreds or even thousands, covering various departments and roles without extending project timelines.

2. Improved Precision in Requirements Definition: By conducting in-depth follow-ups and cross-analyses based on responses, the collaborative effort goes beyond surface-level requests to clarify operational contexts, constraints, and priorities. The expertise in question design that CircleAce has honed will be integrated into 'InTake', providing high-quality interviews that do not hinge on individual consultants' skills.

3. Focus on High-Value Tasks: The reduction of time spent on data collection and organization allows specialized personnel to concentrate on designing and implementing solutions, thus improving the precision and speed of business reforms.

4. Consensus from the Initial Stages: With all stakeholders able to participate in the hearing process, this approach fosters a sense of involvement, leading to effective consensus building and minimizing risks of rework in later project stages.

Preliminary Testing within CircleAce

CircleAce has already conducted preliminary tests of 'InTake' in their internal Salesforce renovation project. The outdated method of limiting interview subjects to 2-3 individuals was replaced by engaging all relevant parties, including managers from management, sales, and system development. Without requiring additional personnel or extending timelines, the non-synchronous interviews were completed within days, leading to the creation of highly accurate requirements documentation that reflects diverse on-ground insights.

Future Developments

The business analysis services powered by 'InTake' will be offered as a 'Large-Scale Hearing Option' during the planning and requirements definition phases of system implementation for clients. The two companies plan to initially focus on Salesforce implementation and usage support, while gradually expanding the AI consultant offerings across different fields, leveraging the design capabilities and analytical methods possessed by professional personnel.

As AI extracts voices from the field, specialized personnel will connect these insights to transformative actions. This new division of labor will serve as a standard for promoting AI-native business reforms.

About AI Hearing Agent 'InTake'

The AI hearing agent 'InTake' automates everything from structured interview design to execution and analysis, achieving 'scalable listening'. What used to take 2-3 months to conduct interviews with dozens of people can now be accomplished within a few days with hundreds or thousands of respondents. Custom-designed questions and optimized follow-up dialogues ensure thorough data collection, which is then automatically structured and reported.

About CircleAce

CircleAce Inc. is an IT service firm based in Chuo, Tokyo, that aims to contribute to management and operations through advanced AI and data solutions, Salesforce, and Microsoft consulting and support.

Company: CircleAce Inc.
CEO: Scott Sato
Location: 2-1-3 Nihonbashi, Chuo, Tokyo
Founded: November 1, 2012
URL: CircleAce

About Asterminds

Asterminds Inc. specializes in developing and providing AI hearing agent 'InTake', alongside consulting services that utilize it.

Company: Asterminds Inc.
CEO: Shinjiro Honda
Location: 22nd Floor, Shinagawa Intercity A, 2-15-1 Konan, Minato, Tokyo
Founded: August 2025
URL: Asterminds