Hitachi and Microsoft Enter Milestone Agreement to Accelerate Business and Social Innovation with Generative AI
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE:6501) and Microsoft Corporation announced a projected multi-billion dollar collaboration over the next three years, that will accelerate social innovation with generative AI. Through this strategic alliance, Hitachi will propel growth of the Lumada business, with a planned revenue of 2.65 trillion yen (18.9 billion USD)*1 in FY2024, and will promote operational efficiency and productivity improvements for Hitachi Group’s 270 thousand employees.
Specifically, Hitachi will embed the Microsoft cloud, Azure Open AI Service, Dynamics 365, Copilot for Microsoft 365, and GitHub Copilot into Lumada solutions to provide innovative solutions for the energy, mobility and other industries to deliver better outcomes for businesses and society. In addition, the two companies will promote joint projects to address pressing business needs such as bolstering cloud services, enhancing security, and mitigating the environmental footprint of data centers, which have become an increasing area of focus with the growing use of generative AI.
“Hitachi has been driving transformation by applying AI across the Hitachi Group to improve productivity and will invest 300 billion yen (2.1 billion USD)*1 in GenAI to capture new growth opportunities in FY2024. Hitachi and Microsoft have already been working on a variety of co-creation projects including the development of next-generation digital solutions for the manufacturing and logistics fields*2, and the development of a field-extended metaverse that runs on Microsoft Teams,” said Keiji Kojima, President and CEO of Hitachi. “Under this new agreement, we are excited to further accelerate social innovation by expanding our efforts to social infrastructure areas such as energy and mobility, and by applying generative AI, to improve the productivity of frontline workers, which will become even more important in the future. By combining our capabilities, we can help solve the issues faced by our customers and society, and contribute to a more sustainable future.”
“We are entering a new era of AI with the promise to deliver transformative business outcomes across every role and industry,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “Our expanded partnership with Hitachi will bring together the power of the Microsoft Cloud – including Microsoft Copilot – with Hitachi’s industry expertise to improve the productivity of 270,000 Hitachi employees and help address customers’ biggest challenges, including sustainability.”
Hitachi’s Business Transformation
Hitachi’s Generative AI Center*3 and Microsoft will collaborate to improve operational efficiency and application development within the Hitachi Group by using Copilot for Microsoft 365 and GitHub Copilot. Hitachi will also use Azure OpenAI Service to enhance its customer service. As part of Hitachi’s group-wide transformation, Hitachi will combine Azure OpenAI Service and GitHub Copilot with its systems development expertise to maintain high quality and improve productivity for mission-critical system development. Hitachi’s internal validation confirmed that when its detailed system design knowledge was incorporated with Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and GitHub Copilot, the application source code could be properly generated 70-90% of the time, resulting in high quality output.*4
Hitachi Rail is leveraging GenAI for predictive maintenance, enhancing equipment monitoring and refining forecast accuracy. This proactive approach prevents breakdowns, increases service quality, reduces operating expenses, and augments safety. For example, a cloud-based platform on Microsoft Azure was utilized to streamline data visualization and analysis, empowered by AI to furnish data-driven insights to digitally monitor rail infrastructure. These insights were translated into actionable steps for Network Rail, enhancing decision-making for predictive maintenance of overhead lines.
Develop innovative digital solutions
Hitachi is enhancing its Lumada solutions by incorporating the capability of generative AI. As part pf the initiative, Hitachi has already started to use Microsoft’s Generative AI for JP1 Cloud Services, a SaaS version of JP1, its integrated operations management software with approximately 20 thousand customers. This will accelerate response times to address failures, and enable improved operational efficiencies for IT departments, financial and public institutions. In an internal verification test conducted earlier, Hitachi confirmed that the time required for the operator to make an initial response to an alert was reduced to approximately two-thirds by using generated AI to respond to the alert and displaying the source of the citation, such as a manual, that provided the basis for the response.
In addition to this, Hitachi and Microsoft will also support the energy transition with improved access to and strengthening of digital solutions for asset performance management, energy trading, and risk management to reduce downtime and increase profitability. Increased computing power and cloud infrastructure are both critical to scaling these applications. Hitachi Energy’s Enterprise Software Solutions technology and its partnership with Microsoft is key to optimizing the energy network, from generation, through transmission and distribution, and ultimately in delivering reliable and sustainable energy to customers.
Joint projects to promote sustainable growth
Multiple Hitachi Group Companies including GlobalLogic, Hitachi Digital Services, and Hitachi Solutions, deliver a wide range of digital engineering, IT & managed services, and application services for the cloud. Additional development efforts through this partnership will focus on enhancing this broad range of services with the aim of sustainable innovation with Microsoft.
As the impact of CO2 emissions from AI on the global environment increases, Hitachi and Microsoft will work toward zero carbon, starting with a data center project in Europe, to reduce environmental impact.
Strengthen digital skilling and talent development
Hitachi will train more than 50 thousand GenAI Professionals. As part of the partnership, Hitachi will incorporate training to acquire advanced software development skills using GitHub Copilot and Azure OpenAI Service into the program to develop GenAI Professional, talents who support customers’ transformation using AI.
*1 | Forecast as of April 26, 2024, calculated at 140 yen to the U.S. dollar. |
*2 | Hitachi News Release (June 26, 2020) “Hitachi and Microsoft form a strategic alliance to advance next-generation digital solutions for manufacturing and logistics across Southeast Asia, North America and Japan” |
*3 | Hitachi News Release (May 15, 2023) “Hitachi Establishes New ‘Generative AI Center’ to Accelerate Value Creation and Improve Productivity in the Lumada business by promoting the use of Generative AI” |
*4 | Hitachi News Release (May 21, 2024)“Hitachi to Accelerate System Development Transformation with Generative AI" |
About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers’ and society’s challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the 3 business sectors of “Digital Systems & Services” – supporting our customers’ digital transformation; “Green Energy & Mobility” – contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and “Connective Industries” – connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company’s revenues as 3 sectors for fiscal year 2023 (ended March 31, 2024) totaled 8,564.3 billion yen, with 573 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 270,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company’s website at https://www.hitachi.com.
About Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240603649131/en/
Contact information
Media Contacts
Microsoft Media Relations, WE Communications for Microsoft, (425) 638-7777,
rapidresponse@we-worldwide.com
Corporate Communications, Digital Systems & Services, Hitachi, Ltd.
koho@itg.hitachi.co.jp
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Most Delivered Light-Entry Jet Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 With Garmin Autothrottles Enters Into Service, Bringing Greater Control and Precision to Pilots14.1.2026 21:30:00 EET | Press release
The Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 with Garmin Autothrottles recently entered into service. Certified by the Federal Aviation Administration in October 2025, the integration of Garmin’s Autothrottle system in the Citation M2 Gen2 further supports the most delivered light-entry jet’s capabilities by bringing greater control and precision to pilots. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114646844/en/ Most delivered light-entry jet Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 with Garmin Autothrottles enters into service, bringing greater control and precision to pilots (Photo Credit: Textron Aviation). The Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company. “We continue to invest in our products to provide customers with the best aviation experience in the world," said Lannie O’Bannion, senior vice president, Sales & Marketing. “The M2 Gen2 leads its segment as the most delivered
TwentyTwo Real Estate and Farallon Capital Complete €761 Million Investment in Isemia, a €1.2bn Healthcare Real Estate Company Created With emeis14.1.2026 19:30:00 EET | Press release
TwentyTwo Real Estate, an independent European real estate investment and management firm, announces the completion, alongside Farallon Capital, of a €761 million investment that led to the creation of Isemia (www.isemiabyemeis.com), a leading healthcare real estate company holding a €1.2 billion portfolio of assets operated by emeis. The transaction represents a significant milestone in TwentyTwo Real Estate’s long-term investment strategy focused on healthcare and operational living real estate. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114262830/en/ Fachklinik Schömberg Isemia comprises 68 high-quality assets across France, Germany and Spain, with a balanced mix of nursing homes (48%) and clinics (52%). The portfolio benefits from strong fundamentals and resilient operating performance. All properties will continue to be operated by emeis under long-term lease agreements, ensuring continuity of care for residents
AI’s Water Demand to Surge Nearly 130% by 2050 – New Research Shows How to Build a Water-Secure AI Economy14.1.2026 17:00:00 EET | Press release
The rapid global expansion of artificial intelligence is set to drive a 129% increase in water demand across the AI value chain by 2050, according to new research by Xylem (NYSE: XYL) and Global Water Intelligence (GWI). Watering the New Economy: Managing the Impacts of the AI Revolution provides the most comprehensive assessment to date of how AI is reshaping global water use. It also highlights practical ways to meet that demand while strengthening water security for communities. Spending on AI is forecast to approach $2 trillion in 2026,1 accelerating infrastructure build-out worldwide. By the middle of the century, this expansion is projected to add 30 trillion liters of water demand, annually, fueled by a surge in power generation (~54% of the increase), semiconductor fabrication (~42%), and data center expansion (~4%). Crucially, the report finds that this additional demand does not have to result in competition between industry and communities. Today, global water systems proces
Primient to Acquire Full Ownership of Primient Covation, LLC14.1.2026 17:00:00 EET | Press release
Primient, a global leader in biomanufacturing, announced today it has agreed to purchase the remaining ownership interest in Primient Covation, LLC (“Primient Covation”), establishing Primient as the sole owner of the company and marking an exciting new chapter in Primient’s growth in the bioeconomy. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114344080/en/ This acquisition is the next step of Primient’s strategy to strengthen Primient’s leadership position in biomanufacturing and builds upon recent announcements, including Primient’s partnership with Sustainea and the creation of the iPROOF venture. Primient Covation stands as a leading force in the U.S. biomanufacturing sector, distinguished by its broad range of biomanufacturing and fermentation expertise. The company was founded in 2000 to supply a variety of end markets, including cosmetics and personal care, textiles, fashion, coatings, functional fluids, and oth
ACCELQ Crowned Leader and Customer Favorite in The Forrester Wave™ for Autonomous Testing Platforms14.1.2026 17:00:00 EET | Press release
Forrester has named ACCELQ a Leader in The Forrester Wave™: Autonomous Testing Platforms, Q4 2025. This marks the third consecutive Wave in which ACCELQ has been recognized as a Leader. Notably, this evaluation placed strong emphasis on generative AI innovation and real-world customer adoption. ACCELQ received the highest scores for both capabilities and vision and was the only platform to be recognized as a Customer Favorite, earning a "double halo" for exceptional customer endorsement. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260113112861/en/ ACCELQ recognized as a Leader and Customer Favorite in The Forrester Wave™️: Autonomous Testing Platforms, Q4 2025, validating its agentic, GenAI-embedded testing vision. According to the Forrester report, ACCELQ received the highest score among all evaluated vendors in the Current Offering category. Analysts praised the platform’s "impressive vision and innovation," specificall
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom