AI Governance

Our Policy and Approach

The NTT Group uses AI while balancing AI competitiveness and safety in order to address risk management and governance sought domestically and internationally.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) has rapidly worked its way into society through technological innovations such as deep learning. Without us realizing it, countless AIs are solving issues both large and small every day. However, there are also fears that the usage of AI can bring about unforeseen discrimination, as well as wrongful guidance or restrictions on actions. Much about AI behavior and influence is unknown as well, creating heightened concerns alongside expectations. International society now expects AI risks to be addressed and for governance to be enhanced. In order to eliminate these concerns and promote enhanced AI competitiveness that also has a guarantee of safety, the NTT Group, as a corporation involved in its usage and research & development, as well as its employees and technologists must have a basic policy that they are constantly aware of.

The NTT Group's AI Risk Management

It is important for organizations within the NTT Group that use AI in their business activities to manage risks that come along with such use, including those related to legal violations, contract violations, social or ethical criticism, and so on. In order to manage risk, the NTT Group has adopted risk-based approaches widely used in international society such as the Hiroshima AI Process.

Defining AI Risk

Risks consequent to the NTT Group's usage of AI, including the risk of social criticism and the risk of fines resulting from violations of the law due to the improper use of AI, have been placed into the classifications of "prohibited level," "high risk ," and "limited risk" based on usage case across the entire Group.

Assessing AI Risk

Based on the above definition of AI risk, AI project managers and the AI risk management officer from their company will conduct two-fold risk assessments in order to ensure precise assessments.

Treating AI Risk

AI projects assessed as having a prohibited level will have their method of AI usage greatly reconsidered. For projects assessed at non-prohibited levels, each company's AI risk management officer will work to reduce project risk and follow courses of action appropriate to risk while implementing the project.

Organization for Implementation

The NTT Group's AI Governance

AI Governance Regulations

Organization for AI Governance Implementation

NTT has a Co-CAIO in place to ensure leadership that can exercise control over promotion of the appropriate usage of AI and responses to AI risk. NTT has also put into place an AI Governance Office that assists the Co-CAIO by maintaining and revising the NTT Group's AI governance regulations, and by monitoring and assessing the state of AI risk management at Group companies. Each Group company has established an AI risk management officer who assesses the risk of AI projects and works to reduce their risks. The Co-CAIO, AI Governance Office, and AI risk management officers at each of the NTT Group's companies will work together to promote appropriate AI risk management and AI governance at the NTT Group.