Impress AI Days 2026 set for Sept 15–16, targeting AI's implementation wall

The event's framing captures a shift in how Japanese enterprises are approaching AI. According to the announcement, AI use is moving beyond personal productivity tools into a phase where AI acts autonomously alongside people as part of the team, and companies are being asked to redesign workflows rather than simply deploy chatbots. The "implementation and adoption wall" cited in the article refers to the difficulty of establishing governance, building data foundations, and reworking business processes — tasks that fall on the AI leaders driving adoption inside their companies.

To address these, the event brings together two kinds of voices. One group speaks from hands-on experience: Mizuho Financial Group's CAIO describes how the bank built a common platform and in-house capabilities to mass-produce AI agents while ensuring security and compliance, and Nissin Foods Holdings' CIO discusses how IT roles change when AI is deployed company-wide. The other group, including Preferred Networks' Daisuke Okanohara and analyst Masato Tateno of ITR, offers a broader view — from large language models to physical AI in manufacturing and materials, and from individual use cases to company-wide standards under the concept of being "AI Ready."

The stakes likely hinge on whether these sessions give AI leaders practical steps they can act on, rather than general principles. With capacity capped at 700 attendees and attendance free, the event's reach is limited, but the specific case studies shared by Mizuho, Lion, and Nissin Foods — and the emphasis on governance and data readiness — may prove the most useful part for companies still deciding how to scale their AI programs beyond isolated pilots.