Delivered on August 31, 2026
How Human Flow Data Will Transform the Future of Urban Development: Towards "Analysis Accessible to Everyone"
Speakers:
Hidetaka Hida, Product Manager (PdM), GEOTRA Co., Ltd.
Affiliation and position information is as of the time of distribution
We welcomed Mr. Hidetaka Hida of GEOTRA Co., Ltd. to discuss the latest trends in the utilization of human flow data. GEOTRA, a joint venture between Mitsui & Co. and KDDI, promotes advanced analysis combining location data and AI, and its application to urban development and planning. In this episode, we will broadly explain the evolution of AI-based analysis and report creation, simulation technology, the latest projects with local governments and developers, and even the possibilities of "synthetic data" that takes personal information into consideration. We will hear about GEOTRA's vision of creating a world where human flow data can be used not only by experts but by everyone, and how the location information business will evolve in the next two years. This content is recommended for those interested in location data, AI, and smart cities.
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The Origins of GEOTRA, a Joint Venture Between Mitsui & Co. and KDDI, and the Strengths of Synthetic Data
GEOTRA Co., Ltd. was established in 2022 as a joint venture between Mitsui & Co. and KDDI. The company combines GPS data and AI to generate "synthetic data" that takes personal information protection into consideration, and provides advanced analysis to the urban development field. Hidetaka Hida, Product Manager, joined the company in 2022 after being involved in location information service planning at KDDI. The organization, which initially consisted of only a few people, has rapidly grown to several dozen people and is building a track record by collaborating with developers, construction consultants, universities, etc. Currently, in addition to pedestrian flow analysis, the company is steadily expanding its efforts to include in-depth simulations and other initiatives.
The Background of the Publication of "Introduction to the Utilization of Pedestrian Flow Big Data" and Questions from the Field
Pedestrian flow data attracted attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there were also voices from the field saying, "It's interesting, but we don't know how to use it in actual work." Therefore, GEOTRA published a book titled "An Introduction to Utilizing Big Data on Human Flow for Urban Development" with the aim of fostering a shared understanding across the industry and systematic learning among its members. This book explains the cost structure of human flow data, the causes of discrepancies with actual demographic statistics, and approaches to overcoming these discrepancies. Furthermore, by compiling specific customer case studies and analysis points from actual urban development sites in a "user manual" format, it positively promotes the dissemination of data.
Human Flow Analysis Revolutionized by Generative AI: Insight Extraction and Efficiency Through Prompts
Recent advances in AI technology have brought about significant changes in both the usability of the tools provided by GEOTRA and the efficiency of internal development. Previously, data was provided in formats such as CSV, but now, by inputting prompts themselves, users can instantly complete simple aggregations and reports. This has drastically reduced the time required to obtain useful insights from data, resulting in improved operational efficiency. In addition, the development of "AI-enabled" products that utilize AI along practical workflows such as store opening analysis is progressing, and efforts to simplify the entire process are becoming more active.
Accelerating EBPM in Urban Development and Supplementing Traditional Statistical Surveys
In urban development areas such as urban redevelopment, transportation, and disaster prevention, there is a growing momentum for "EBPM" (Evidence-Based Policy Making), which is based on objective evidence. Traditionally, ""person-trip surveys"" and national censuses were the main methods, but there is a growing movement to replace and supplement these with big data on human movement. In fact, there is an increasing number of projects that are successfully applying big data to practical work by conducting rigorous accuracy verification in collaboration with traditional departments such as road planning in local governments, comparing and verifying the actual situation. Along with this movement, inquiries from construction consultants who are responsible for practical work have also increased sharply.
Comprehensiveness and Immediacy of Human Movement Data to Address Labor Shortages
Serious labor shortages are making it difficult to conduct traditional traffic volume surveys that rely on manpower and high costs. For example, in some areas, person-trip surveys can only be conducted once every 10 to 15 years, and in rural areas, there is a problem of a lack of basic traffic information itself. In contrast, GPS-based human movement big data is automatically accumulated every day, so it can significantly reduce the effort and labor costs of surveys. Furthermore, by compensating for the omissions that often occur in surveys and comprehensively and instantly capturing wide-area movement patterns, it visualizes the actual situation in the region with high accuracy.
The Future Envisioned by GEOTRA: Strengthening GEOTRA SNAP and Synthetic Data
GEOTRA has set forth two directions for development over the next two years. The first is to lower the hurdle for customers who find data handling difficult by deploying "GEOTRA SNAP," which reflects analytical know-how, and supporting the acceleration of decision-making. The second is to further strengthen its unique "synthetic data generation technology," integrating diverse big data sources such as GPS, vehicle location information, and payment information with the power of data science, and building the most reliable "strongest data" while protecting personal information.
Summary: Human Flow Analysis Made Accessible by Data and AI
GEOTRA Corporation's utilization of human flow data is evolving advanced urban analysis from something only for a select few experts into an infrastructure that anyone can intuitively use for decision-making. By combining the infrastructure of Mitsui & Co. and KDDI, advanced synthetic data generation technology, and generation AI, we are visualizing detailed daily activities and traffic conditions while protecting personal information. For local governments and developers struggling with labor shortages and budget constraints, big data that combines immediacy and comprehensiveness is essential for promoting evidence-based policy making (EBPM). The future vision of providing tools that allow decision-making to focus and integrating multiple data sources will dramatically accelerate efficient urban development.