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NEC Corporation announced a strategic collaboration with Anthropic PBC (Anthropic,) to accelerate the utilization of AI in the Japanese enterprise sector.
Through this collaboration, NEC becomes the first Japan-based global partner of Anthropic. Both companies will begin joint development of secure industry-specific AI solutions for the Japanese market, leveraging "Claude Cowork", an AI agent for desktop use. As a first phase, initiatives for the financial, manufacturing, and local government sectors will include the development of solutions that combine the expertise of customers in their respective industries and operations. In addition, the partnership further enhances NEC’s next-generation cybersecurity service.
NEC will advance the utilization of Claude within "NEC BluStellar Scenario", which underpins NEC's value creation model "NEC BluStellar." The deployment of Claude will also be promoted across the NEC Group globally, aiming to build one of Japan's largest AI-native engineer teams, and comprising approximately 30,000 members worldwide.
Through these initiatives, both companies aim to accelerate the social implementation of safe and reliable AI technology, contributing to business transformation and enhanced competitiveness for Japanese companies and public administration.
Background
In recent years, AI and AI agent technologies have advanced rapidly, finding broad applications in businesses and public administration, including automating tasks, supporting decision-making, and improving customer service. However, many organizations face hurdles such as a shortage of IT talent, insufficient accumulation of operational know-how, stringent security requirements, and compliance with unique laws and regulations. Especially in highly trusted domains like finance, public administration and cybersecurity, establishing a secure and transparent AI foundation and introducing AI agents tailored to on-site operations are key to accelerating digital transformation (DX).
In recent years, NEC has treated itself as its own first client through its "Client Zero" initiative. In this endeavor, NEC has primarily utilized AI agents in its internal development processes, from design to testing, to advance its operations and revolutionize productivity. This collaboration further accelerates these efforts and supports the full-scale adoption and implementation of AI in the Japanese market.
Key Collaboration Details and Plans
Joint Development of Industry-Specific AI Solutions for the Japanese Market: Jointly develop secure industry-specific AI solutions for customers in demanding sectors such as finance, manufacturing, and local government, which call for strict requirements, including high security, compliance with unique laws, and high quality. Through joint development that integrates customer and on-site expertise, both companies will promote the rapid deployment and implementation of these solutions.
Furthermore, in the field of cybersecurity, NEC is leveraging Anthropic's cutting-edge AI technology in its Security Operations Center (SOC) services to protect the digital infrastructure of companies operating both in Japan and globally against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Going forward, NEC will utilize the technology and expertise gained through this collaboration to further enhance its next-generation cybersecurity service and deliver it to customers.
Utilization of Claude in NEC BluStellar Scenario: Utilize Claude (Claude Opus 4.7)/Claude Code within NEC BluStellar Scenario to accelerate customer transformation. Specifically, NEC will begin by utilizing Claude with two scenarios from the BluStellar Scenario suite— "Scenarios for Data-Driven Management" and "Scenarios for Customer Experience Transformation"—and will gradually expand its application to other scenarios.
Large-Scale Deployment of Claude Across the NEC Group: To swiftly realize the joint development and deployment of the aforementioned AI solutions and the integration of Claude into versions of NEC BluStellar Scenario, Claude will be introduced to approximately 30,000 NEC Group employees globally. This will strengthen the development of AI-native talent capable of creating advanced value. Furthermore, as part of the Client Zero initiative, the utilization of Claude Cowork in internal business operations will be promoted to accelerate the efficiency of development work. In addition, NEC will establish an internal Center of Excellence (CoE) with the aim of developing highly skilled AI professionals, utilizing technical support and training provided by Anthropic. By leveraging the latest agent-based AI development tool, "Claude Code," NEC will advance the construction of one of Japan's largest AI-native engineering teams.
Comment from Paul Smith, CCO of Anthropic
"We are deeply honored to collaborate with NEC, one of Japan's leading technology companies. Since its founding, Anthropic has advanced its research guided by the conviction that building trustworthy AI is the path to building truly great AI. We are deeply grateful for the trust extended to us by our customers, partners, and government stakeholders across Japan, and we regard this collaboration as a meaningful step in our long-term commitment to shaping the future of AI in Japan together. By bringing together the strengths of both companies, we are dedicated to delivering safe and secure AI agents that Japanese enterprises can adopt with full confidence."
Comment from Toshifumi Yoshizaki, Executive Officer and COO of NEC Corporation
"This long-term partnership with Anthropic enables NEC to maximize the potential of AI in the Japanese market and further strengthen our capabilities in AI and AI agent implementation through large-scale deployments and collaboration. By bringing together the technology and expertise of both companies, we aim to jointly create solutions that meet the high safety, reliability, and quality standards demanded by companies and public administration, and play a central role in supporting the transformation of our customers through AI utilization."
