Publication of 'Knowledge Management White Paper 2026': Where Does Competitive Advantage Lie in the Age of Generative AI?

any Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Kazufumi Yoshida) has published the 'Knowledge Management White Paper 2026,' targeting 1,000 employees working in companies with 300 or more staff members. Now in its fourth year, the white paper explores the reality of generative AI utilization and knowledge management under the theme, 'What is the source of corporate competitive advantage in the AI era?' The report also includes an interview with Professor Ken Kusunoki of Hitotsubashi Business School, an expert in competitive strategy, discussing the academic background of knowledge management and its relationship with corporate strategy from a management perspective. With the evolution of generative AI, we have entered an era where AI handles everything from information search to organization, summarization, and output. Knowledge and information circulate at unprecedented speeds, and their value is rapidly becoming commoditized. These changes pose a significant question to corporate management: 'In an age where everyone can access the same information, where does competitive advantage come from?' We see the answer in 'knowledge born from experience.' How to deal with customers, how to overcome failures, and the history of decisions made in the field—the accumulation of such experiential knowledge is the source of competitive advantage that cannot be imitated by others. However, much of this remains dormant as 'tacit knowledge' within people. AI does not steal human value; it enhances the value of experience and insights that only humans can create. The future of a company depends not on the volume of information, but on how it accumulates and utilizes its unique experiential knowledge.