The Chiba Bank (8331) Investor Update summary

Digital transformation and AI strategy

• Expanded digital division and established a Digital Strategy Division, growing digital personnel from 11 in 2019 to 76 in 2025, with new departments for AI, marketing, and operational reform.

• Launched AI Solution Lab and renewed digital platforms, including the Chibagin App and corporate portal, to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency.

• Collaboration with EDGE Technology, now a subsidiary, accelerates in-house AI development and external sales, targeting ¥3.0 billion in synergies over five years.

• Built a secure cloud-based AI development environment, enabling faster development and broader AI application, with intra-bank data accessible for AI projects from April 2026.

• AI agents are being developed to automate end-to-end business processes, aiming for integration across CRM, ERP, and other systems.

Human resources and productivity initiatives

• AI-driven tools support HR management, including evaluation, salary, promotion, and bonus decisions, improving feedback quality and fairness.

• Personnel Transfer AI optimizes workforce allocation, reducing planning time and enhancing engagement.

• Career Support AI enables employees to receive career counseling and scenario planning, leveraging intra-bank data for personalized development.

• Sales Assistant AI, released in August 2025, provides role-playing, talk scripting, and research functions to enhance sales training and productivity.

• Human resource strategy focuses on increasing personnel, early development, and maximizing abilities to address a declining producer population.

Future outlook and business model evolution

• AI environment will be opened to other banks and companies, supporting alliance expansion and external sales of AI products.

• AI agents will shift from being tools to "colleagues," counted as workforce to drive top-line growth, resource expansion, and cost optimization.

• Advanced personalization and data-driven proposals aim to maximize customer satisfaction and revenue.

• Ongoing layered training and recruitment of AI specialists, with a goal of 2,000 deep learning qualifications.

• Operational improvements and new business models are expected through automation and AI integration across all business domains.