Company Introduction

Kanazawa Biyori is a local media outlet that aims to "serve as a bridge connecting the region with the world" and delivers the charms of Ishikawa Prefecture to people both in Japan and overseas. We have always valued visiting the local area, listening to the voices of store owners and producers, carefully capturing even the indescribable background and atmosphere, and conveying this through the power of editing. Based on the honest reporting attitude and editing methods we have cultivated since our days as a magazine, we continue to provide trusted information while sincerely engaging with the region.

Currently, we are collaborating with national news media such as SmartNews, Gunosy, and d menu news, as well as the Japan tourism portal MATCHA and travel media from Asian countries to disseminate information from the region to both domestic and international audiences. In the future, we will deliver not only information but also authentic Ishikawa Prefecture products to the world.

Issues before introducing generative AI

Immediately after the restart, the site was faced with an overwhelming shortage of staff and a heavy workload. The question of "How can we continue to publish without compromising quality?" was a practical issue that arose in the course of daily work. Essential processes such as proofreading, fact-checking, structuring, standardizing notation, and checking from the reader's perspective placed a strain on the editorial staff, and the more carefully they focused on each article, the more time and energy they consumed.

As a result, we were in danger of losing the time we should have spent on dialogue with our subjects and understanding their thoughts. Rather than a magic solution, we needed to identify methods that could actually be used on the ground.

Effects after generative AI introduction training

With the introduction of Digirise's "AI Works," we began to fully incorporate generative AI into our editing work. We use multiple generative AIs, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, in actual manuscript production, comparing and verifying the characteristics and areas of expertise of each, and have established a system for using them appropriately depending on the purpose. Additionally, by developing prompts for specific purposes, such as organizing the structure, checking perspectives, adjusting the tone of expression, and drafting English, we can now utilize AI while accurately conveying our editorial intent.

Currently, a co-creation style in which "checks and tasks are left to AI, and the final decision is always made by a human" has taken root in the workplace, and AI is no longer simply an efficiency tool, but is used on a daily basis as a partner that supports editors' thinking.

As a result, not only has the physical workload been reduced, but ideas such as "Maybe we can try this kind of approach" have been expanded, leading to a system that allows us to continue operating a high-quality media outlet even with a small number of people.

Future outlook

Going forward, while further deepening our co-creation with AI, our editors will focus more than ever on areas that only humans can handle, such as interviewing, planning and designing, and creating context. The casual words exchanged on-site and insights gleaned from the expressions of shop owners and creators are values that only editors who actually visit and interact with people can pick up.

Meanwhile, by utilizing generative AI, we have been able to steadily carry out processes such as structuring, translation, and drafting English manuscripts, and we have been able to fully engage in continuous communication overseas. We will expand both our communication power and communication area and deliver the charm of the region to the world.

Nurturing the new seeds that emerge from conversations with people is also an important role of Kanazawabiyori. There are increasing instances where relationships formed through interviews have expanded into new product plans and projects. With AI as a communication partner and people as nurturers of connections, we will continue to create a cycle that revitalizes the local community from the ground up.