Delivered on June 8, 2026
GIS and Spatial Information Utilization in the AI Era and Social Infrastructure DX
Speakers:
Yoshifumi Murakami, Executive Officer, Offering & Grid Division, Adsol Nisshin Co., Ltd. (Concurrent) GIS & Innovation Division
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
From Adsol Nisshin, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, comes Mr. Murakami, who is promoting social infrastructure and GIS/spatial information businesses. We will hear about the changes in the use of human flow and location information data that have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenges in competitive and collaborative areas, the value of connecting OT and IT in the AI era, and the outlook for BCP, disaster prevention, and smart cities.
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Adsol Nisshin's Identity and Commitment to Social Infrastructure
Adsol Nisshin is a long-established system integrator founded in 1976, celebrating its 50th anniversary in March 2026. The company's purpose is "contributing to social infrastructure," and it provides comprehensive services from consulting to engineering for systems supporting critical infrastructure such as power.
The Transformed Value and Social Recognition of Spatial Information After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, terms like "human flow," previously specialized jargon, became commonplace in news and other media, leading to widespread recognition of the importance of spatial information. Previously, location data and GIS data were generally treated as supplementary information outside of core systems. However, nowadays, diverse spatial information such as human flow data, satellite data, and drone data are establishing themselves as data that supports the very foundation of business. The trend is shifting towards how to utilize this data to build "infrastructure that benefits society."
The Rise of Generative AI and Data Integration into Core Systems
With the advent of the era of generative AI, analysis from a "data scientist" perspective, which generates value from vast amounts of spatial data, has become indispensable. Customer demands are also changing, and there is an accelerating movement to promote DX by integrating human flow and location information into the core of core systems. Rather than simply using it as external data, there is a need to transform into a value-creating business model by placing spatial information at the center of the system. Adsol Nisshin is providing solutions while experiencing this major paradigm shift firsthand at the forefront of the field.
The Fusion of OT (Control Technology) and IT: The Importance of the Edge (H) Layer
One of Adsol Nisshin's greatest strengths is its deep knowledge of the OT (Operation Technology: Control Technology) domain, cultivated through many years of infrastructure support. Because we understand the characteristics of on-site operations and data, we can propose the optimal approach when bringing it up to the IT domain for analysis. It is predicted that it will still take time before highly confidential OT data, such as railway operation status, can be immediately integrated into AI on the cloud. The company aims to provide a stimulating solution incorporating the concept of spatial information in the "H (Edge) layer," which lies between IT and OT.
Collaboration and Co-creation: Solving Challenges in Data Utilization in Japan
In data utilization, we believe that a balance between the "collaboration area," which provides a common foundation, and the "co-creation area," which leverages the strengths of each company, is crucial. A challenge across Japan is the difficulty in obtaining actual data even when plans exist, and this needs to be improved. Adsol Nisshin collaborates with "co-creation partners," such as engine manufacturers and data vendors, to tackle challenges that cannot be solved by a single company.
True Value Creation: Behavioral Change Beyond Efficiency
By utilizing GIS and location information, it's relatively easy to reduce a task that previously took 10 hours to 7 hours. However, what this company emphasizes is proposing value beyond efficiency—specifically, "how to use those three hours saved." Their solution aims not merely to reduce costs, but to encourage behavioral change in customers and create new value.
Strategy for Balancing Confidential Information Protection and AI Utilization
Due to the nature of handling critical infrastructure, customers have a strong desire to utilize AI while preventing the leakage of confidential information. It's crucial for engineers familiar with the business to build secure systems within limited areas and establish networks that allow for safe communication with external parties. Providing a "safe and secure" business model that deeply integrates with individual on-site operations—something difficult for big tech companies—is a key positioning for this company.
Shifting from BCP (Business Continuity Planning) to Sustainability
With climate change and the increasing severity of disasters, strengthening the resilience of infrastructure operators is a matter of urgency. Mr. Murakami argues that the key to swift action and early recovery lies not in reacting after a disaster, but in "how well-prepared we are during normal times." In Japan, there is a strong tendency to resist spending money on preparation, but in today's unpredictable world, this shift in mindset is essential. The trend is shifting from mere business continuity (BCP) to strategic preparation to enhance corporate sustainability. Specifically, approaches such as comprehensively analyzing weather information and employee movement data on GIS and simulating disaster response in advance are effective.
Summary
Adsol Nisshin's ultimate goal is the construction of a "smart city" in a digitized space. As a company that supports social infrastructure, we want to stand at the center of the ecosystem with various partners and continue to create new value. With our 50th anniversary as a milestone, we are determined to continue leading the next generation of infrastructure DX by leveraging AI and spatial information, guided by our purpose of "contributing to society."