Innovative AI-Driven Development Showcased at Japan IT Week 2026

Key Highlights from Japan IT Week Spring 2026

At the 2026 Japan IT Week, held at Tokyo Big Sight, Kōsuke Takanezawa, CTO of And-Dot Inc., took center stage to discuss groundbreaking advancements in AI-driven development and the concept of the Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE). This annual event, which is among the largest comprehensive exhibitions for system development, operation, and maintenance in Japan, attracted a diverse audience eager to learn about innovative solutions in the tech industry.

Transforming Development with Claude

Takanezawa's presentation was titled "Business Applications of Claude Cowork / Claude Code," where he outlined how utilizing AI agents can drastically change the landscape of software development. By leveraging Claude, a cutting-edge AI tool, Takanezawa introduced a new model for tech talent dubbed the Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), which combines technical skills with business acumen. This model emphasizes the importance of engineers who can not only develop software but also work directly with clients to understand their needs and provide tailored solutions.

FDEs are capable of handling everything from identifying challenges to implementing AI solutions, thereby streamlining processes to achieve tangible results. This innovative approach integrates the roles of engineer, consultant, and product manager, enabling businesses to maximize their impact and effectively innovate.

Breaking Down Barriers to AI Adoption

While many companies are exploring the integration of generative AI, several barriers have hindered widespread adoption, such as legal concerns and a lack of concrete application scenarios. And-Dot has overcome these challenges through its AX Production Project, which has worked with over 300 companies and more than 250 municipalities to implement AI solutions tailored to practical needs. Takanezawa’s expertise allowed him to share valuable insights on how organizations can successfully navigate these obstacles and implement AI effectively to drive business transformation.

The presentation also shed light on how the Claude Code practical course, organized by RX Japan, plays a crucial role in delivering real-world implementation knowledge to IT stakeholders at the event.

Five-Part Program on AI-Driven Development

Takanezawa organized his talk into five distinct parts, addressing critical topics for businesses seeking to implement Claude across their operations:
1. Legal Checks: The necessity of ensuring that input data will not be used for model learning, laying the groundwork for ethical AI utilization.
2. AI-Driven Development with Claude Code: Showcasing how internal implementation improved development speed by completing projects that usually take two months in just two days—an impressive 20-fold increase in efficiency.
3. Utilizing Claude Desktop and Cowork: Demonstrating how non-technical users can utilize Claude for business operations, with practical examples of data searching and schedule automation solely through Japanese language commands.
4. Claude Team Organization: Discussing the transition from individual usage to organizational application of AI, highlighting the FDE model, which allows projects typically requiring three to five personnel to be managed with just one to two FDEs.
5. Addressing Introduction and Implementation: Outlining strategies to overcome three central challenges businesses face—legal concerns, embedding AI into organizational culture, and ensuring comprehensive usage throughout an organization.

Audience Responses and Feedback

Following the presentation, And-Dot conducted a participant survey with 114 respondents, yielding an average rating of 4.32 out of 5 for clarity and effectiveness. Comments reflected attendees’ appreciation for practical implementation insights, stating, "I didn't know how to start with Claude, but now I understand the process and have a good idea for implementation," and, "It was very useful to learn from actual case studies and know how Claude is being used in practice within companies."

About Kōsuke Takanezawa

As the CTO of And-Dot Inc., Kōsuke Takanezawa has led his team since 2011, accumulating valuable experience as a Fullstack Engineer, Engineering Manager, and Product Manager across various companies. His dedication to AI technology, especially generative AI, has made him a prominent figure in the tech community.

Future Outlook

And-Dot's mission is to create the "future norm today." They stand as a partner for organizations in implementing AI-driven development strategies, ensuring the wisdom gained from their FDE model is applied to help municipalities, businesses, and educational entities thrive in this new digital landscape. The firm aims to remain a key player in shaping the workplace of the AI era, fostering innovation for years to come.