The AICX Association (Location: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Directors: Shin Oguri / Kensuke Ozawa; hereinafter "AICX Association") will begin accepting applications on July 8, 2026 (Wed.) for the second examination for the "AI Agent Strategist Certification," a qualification to certify individuals responsible for implementing AI agents in companies.
The first examination, which began accepting applications in May 2026, received 1,250 applications and 260 inquiries from corporations.
Click here for the qualification exam site.
This qualification is the first in Japan specializing in the corporate implementation of AI agents, according to AICX Association research*1. It evaluates the knowledge and practical skills required to implement and embed AI agents within a company from the perspectives of business design, organizational design, and human resource development, rather than merely introducing them as tools. The primary target audience includes AI/DX promotion managers, business reform managers in business divisions, IT planning managers, consultants, and management.
The AICX Association believes that the next challenge in corporate AI utilization is the transition from "people who can use AI" to "people who can change workplaces and organizations with AI."
The examination fee for the second exam is \14,800 (tax included). The application period is from July 8, 2026 (Wed.) to September 20, 2026 (Sun.), and the examination period is from October 1, 2026 (Thu.) to October 31, 2026 (Sat.). The exam will be conducted online.
Following the first examination, the corporate/organizational group examination system will continue to be available for the second examination. The corporate examination system is intended for use in internal AI talent development, creating common language for DX promotion departments, and verifying understanding after training.
As the use of generative AI and AI agents expands within companies, there is growing interest in personnel who can link "individual AI utilization" to "organizational results."
Exam Schedule
Exam
Application Period
Examination Period
Pass/Fail Notification Date
1st
May 15, 2026 (Fri) ~
June 25, 2026 (Thu)
*Completed.
July 1, 2026 (Wed) ~
July 31, 2026 (Fri)
August 25, 2026 (Tue)
2nd
July 8, 2026 (Wed) ~
September 20, 2026 (Sun)
October 1, 2026 (Thu) ~
October 31, 2026 (Sat)
November 25, 2026 (Wed)
3rd
October 1, 2026 (Thu) ~
January 20, 2027 (Wed)
February 1, 2027 (Mon) ~
February 28, 2027 (Sun)
March 25, 2027 (Thu)
Exam schedules from the 2nd exam onwards are subject to change without notice.
Click here for individual applications.
Click here for information requests and corporate applications.
Background: The Advent of the AI Agent Era and Widening Corporate Gaps
AI agents are transforming corporate business processes and competitiveness.
Since 2025, there has been a succession of announcements of AI agent-related services and enterprise AI platforms both domestically and internationally, shifting the focus of technology from AI that merely answers questions to AI agents that autonomously plan and execute tasks.
According to forecasts by Fortune Business Insights, the AI agent market is expected to exceed $250 billion by 2034.
On the other hand, many companies that introduce AI tools do not achieve continuous results. A survey by PwC Japan Group also found that only 13% of Japanese companies already using generative AI reported that the effects "greatly exceeded expectations."
The background to this is that AI utilization remains at the level of individual ingenuity, and business processes and organizational structures have not been redesigned. Simply accumulating individual optimizations does not lead to organizational transformation. To achieve results with AI agents, it is necessary to review business processes, redesign roles for humans and AI, and create a state where they can be continuously utilized by the organization.
Through dialogue with 306 corporate members (as of February 1, 2026) and AI Agent Day events with a cumulative viewership of 12,857 registered participants (as of the same date, held 3 times), the AICX Association has identified the main challenges in corporate AI utilization as follows:
These are organizational design issues, not just individual skill issues. The success or failure of AI utilization will increasingly depend not on "whether it can be used," but on how business processes and organizations are redesigned.
Characteristics of the Qualification: AI Agents x Business Design x Organizational Design
The AI Agent Strategist is a qualification specialized in AI agents that certifies individuals who can transform workplaces with AI agents and design the future of their organizations.
Simply writing prompts will not change the workplace. To achieve results with AI agents within a company, a perspective that includes designing business processes and organizational structures, not just "what to automate," is necessary.
This qualification integrates the following three perspectives:
1. AI Agents Design "Why and What to Automate"
This covers the architectural design, task design, and context design of AI agents, taking into account the characteristics of generative AI.
Emphasis is placed on building an enterprise foundation that does not rely on individual prompt skills by establishing organizational context assets, namely the four layers of prerequisite knowledge, instructions, memory, and search information.
2. Business Design Transform Tacit Knowledge into Workflow Assets
This covers the perspective of formalizing tacit knowledge in the minds of veterans and accumulating it in the organization as workflows executable by AI agents.
Simply overlaying AI onto existing business processes without review can lead to the "dirty automation trap" where inefficient operations are automated as they are. The introduction of AI agents should be carried out in conjunction with BPR (Business Process Re-engineering) that fundamentally reviews business processes.
3. Organizational Design Tool Introduction Alone Does Not Move Organizations
To achieve continuous results from AI agent utilization, organizational design is necessary, including evaluation systems, job definitions, change management, and human resource strategies for the AI era.
Simply telling people to "use" AI agents will not change the workplace. A perspective that updates the entire organizational mechanism is essential.
Target Audience
This qualification is primarily intended for the following individuals:
AI/DX promotion managers in companies
Individuals responsible for business reform and AI utilization in business divisions
Personnel in information systems departments and IT planning departments
Personnel in corporate planning, new business, and human resource development departments
Consultants supporting the introduction of AI agents
Management and executive levels who want to link generative AI utilization to organizational results
This qualification is not limited to AI engineers; it is intended for individuals in positions who can transform business and organizations by utilizing AI agents, including non-engineers.
Corporate Group Examination System
Following the first examination, the AICX Association will continue to offer a corporate/organizational group examination system for the second examination.
The corporate examination system is designed to foster talent for promoting AI agent utilization within companies and to create common language for DX promotion departments, business divisions, and information systems departments. By combining it with in-house training and AI talent development programs, it can be used to visualize understanding of AI utilization and develop personnel for practical implementation.
Companies and organizations wishing to apply for corporate examination should contact the inquiry desk below.
Click here for information requests and corporate applications.
Exam Overview
Item
Details
Name
AI Agent Strategist Certification
Exam Scope
Conforms to the official syllabus
Official Syllabus
Here
Exam Duration
75 minutes
Administration Method
Online examination
Examination Fee
\14,800 (tax included)
Official Textbook
\2,980 (tax included)
Application URL
Here
Official Textbook Purchase URL
Here
Corporate Examination
Supports examination on a corporate/organizational unit basis
About the Official Textbook
The official textbook can be purchased from the URL below.
Click here for the official textbook.
About the Official Explanatory Course
Course Name: AICX Certified | AI Agent Strategist Qualification Official Explanatory Course
Price: \12,800 (excluding tax)
Format: Online video course
Structure: Chapters 01-06 (1 Chapter: 20-30 minutes)
Target Audience: Exam candidates, AI/DX promotion managers, business reform managers, human resource development managers, corporate training managers, etc.
The official explanatory course can be purchased from the URL below.
Click here for the official explanatory course.
Comment from AICX Association Representative Director
Representative Director
Kensuke Ozawa
"There are already enough people who can use AI. What's lacking are people who can change workplaces and organizations with AI." This is the awareness of the problem behind the launch of this qualification.
The number of people who can use generative AI is steadily increasing. On the other hand, there is a significant gap in corporate workplaces between using AI and changing business processes or organizations.
For AI agents to truly deliver value, it is necessary to break down business processes, redesign roles, and create a state where they can be continuously utilized by the organization. This qualification systematizes the knowledge and perspectives required for implementation personnel in the AI agent era.
1,250 people applied for the first examination. We interpret this as an indication that many practitioners share this awareness of the issue.
Representative Director
Shin Oguri
While the introduction of AI tools is progressing in corporate workplaces, cases where expected results are not achieved are common due to a lack of ROI design and business process breakdown.
To achieve results with AI agents, it is necessary to have the ability to design which business processes to apply them to, how to divide roles between humans and AI, and how to embed them in the workplace, not just to introduce the tools.
This qualification establishes a standard for practical personnel to enable companies to continuously achieve results with AI. By systematizing the knowledge and perspectives required for corporate implementation of AI agents, we believe it can also be utilized for internal talent development and building an organizational foundation for AI utilization.
By continuing to offer the corporate examination system, we will support initiatives to develop AI agent implementation personnel not only at the individual level but also at the corporate level.
Notes
*1 According to AICX Association research. This is the first domestic certification qualification specializing in the corporate implementation of AI agents. The survey covered AI-related qualifications and private certification systems publicly available in Japan as of May 2026.
*2 PwC Japan Group "Generative AI Survey 2025 Spring"
https://www.pwc.com/jp/ja/knowledge/thoughtleadership/generative-ai-survey2025.html
Related URL
Press Release "AICX Association Launches Official Explanatory Course for 'AI Agent Strategist Qualification'"
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000134.000155740.html
Inquiries
AICX Association
Qualification Operations Secretariat
Inquiries regarding the corporate examination system are also accepted at the above contact point.
AICX Association
The AICX Association (AI Customer Experience Consortium) is an industry organization established to promote the social implementation of AI agents with the mission of "Breaking down barriers and transforming experiences." We are engaged in various activities such as research, dissemination, and practice to evolve the way customer touchpoints are handled using AI agents and to realize better customer experiences.
Providing educational and training programs to promote the practical application of generative AI technology
Building a customer data integration platform
Fostering a healthy market through dissemination support and the establishment of industry standards
Promoting inter-company collaboration and holding conferences and seminars
Through these initiatives, we aim to achieve an integrated approach that transcends organizational and industry boundaries. Furthermore, we strive to realize a society where valuable and consistent experiences can be provided to each individual customer.
Name: AICX Association
Established: January 2025
Address: Nishishinjuku Mizuma Building 6F, 3-3-13 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 160-0023
URL: https://aicx.jp
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: サービス開始
- Organizations: Fortune Business Insights