2026年07月22日
2026.07.22
Highlights the Value of Human-Centered AI and the Competitive Advantage of “KIBIT” in Supporting Scientific Discovery
Tokyo, Japan, June 30, 2026 - FRONTEO, Inc. (Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan; President & CEO: Masahiro Morimoto; hereinafter “FRONTEO”) is pleased to announce that on June 10, 2026 (local time), Masahiro Morimoto, President & CEO, delivered a lecture at American University (located in Washington, D.C., U.S.), an institution that has produced numerous leaders in U.S. policymaking and the resolution of international issues. 
In his speech, Morimoto emphasized that as the AI market continues to expand, the role of AI in scientific research goes beyond mere efficiency improvements and lies in “complementing and enhancing human decision-making and scientific discovery.” In particular, he pointed out that scientific processes such as hypothesis formulation and verification are areas reserved for humans, and that added value is created through collaboration with AI.
He also explained that FRONTEO’s proprietary equation-driven AI, “KIBIT,” *1 differs from generative AI—which excels at improving operational efficiency—in that it specializes in “discovering unknown insights” and “ensuring objectivity.” These characteristics serve as key differentiators, particularly in fields such as drug discovery, healthcare, and legal services—where sophisticated judgment and innovation are essential—and constitute the foundation of FRONTEO's competitive advantage.
Furthermore, during the presentation, he noted that even as the social implementation of AI progresses, humans must ultimately be responsible for decision-making, and he expressed the view that the importance of the human role in AI-driven decision-making will continue to grow in the future.
■About American University
American University is a prestigious private university in the United States established in 1893 with the authorization of the U.S. Congress. It is particularly renowned in the field of international relations, ranking among the top 10 in the nation according to *Foreign Policy* magazine. The university maintains a strong network with U.S. federal government agencies, Congress, think tanks, and international organizations, and has produced numerous professionals who play key roles in U.S. policymaking and the resolution of international issues.
This lecture was held as part of the “Summer Undergraduate and Graduate Experience in Research Seminar Series,” a program through which the university provides students and researchers with opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research and industry insights.
■FRONTEO’s Expansion in the U.S.
Building on the analytical technologies it has cultivated in the fields of e-discovery and digital forensics, FRONTEO is expanding its business in the life sciences AI sector. With its equation-driven AI “KIBIT” at the core, the company is enhancing its AI solutions and expanding its market reach.
FRONTEO began its full-scale expansion into the U.S. in June 2025*2 and has been advancing the research and development of innovative pharmaceuticals utilizing AI, including the launch of a joint research project with the University of Oklahoma in July of the same year*3. Regarding this joint research, FRONTEO announced in May 2026 that the University of Oklahoma had confirmed the cell proliferation-inhibitory effects of candidate target molecules for pancreatic cancer—which FRONTEO had identified using technology from its AI-powered drug discovery support service, “Drug Discovery AI Factory (DDAIF)” *4—and that the research had advanced to animal testing. *5
Moving forward, FRONTEO will continue to strengthen its collaboration with domestic and international research institutions, educational institutions, and public agencies through the social implementation of its equation-driven AI “KIBIT,” thereby contributing to the advancement of medical and pharmaceutical research, the research and development of innovative pharmaceuticals, and addressing unmet medical needs.
Notes:
*1 equation-driven AI “KIBIT”: An artificial intelligence independently developed by FRONTEO. By utilizing mathematical equations, KIBIT enables discontinuous discoveries, identification of causal relationships, and highly accurate, reproducible analyses. Its lightweight learning process enables fast, high-precision analysis on a single personal computer.
*2 June 25, 2025, press release: FRONTEO Accelerates U.S. Expansion — Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement with U.S.-based Q Partners, a Firm with Strengths in Life Sciences and Technology, https://legal.fronteousa.com/resources/fronteo-and-qpartners
*3 July 23, 2025, press release: FRONTEO and the University of Oklahoma begin Joint Research into Drug Discovery in the Oncology Field, https://legal.fronteousa.com/resources/fronteo-and-oklahoma
*4 DDAIF: An AI-driven drug discovery support service in which FRONTEO’s drug discovery experts, well-versed in both AI and drug discovery, leverage the natural language processing technology of FRONTEO’s proprietary AI “KIBIT” and its proprietary analytical methods to provide hypothesis generation for target molecule and indication discovery.
*5 May 13, 2026, press release: The University of Oklahoma confirms inhibition of cell proliferation with a novel candidate target molecule for pancreatic cancer discovered by FRONTEO's AI drug discovery support service, Drug Discovery AI Factory, https://www.fronteo.com/news/pr/20260513_02
About FRONTEO Drug Discovery AI Factory (DDAIF)
[Reference: Initiatives with pharmaceutical companies and Academia]
https://www.fronteo.com/news/ddaif-list
FRONTEO Drug Discovery AI Factory (DDAIF) is an AI-based drug discovery support service that combines KIBIT (patented in Japan, Europe, the U.S., and South Korea), an Equation-driven AI specialized in natural language processing, with the expertise of FRONTEO’s drug discovery researchers and AI engineers. It powerfully supports researchers’ decision-making in drug development through the analysis of disease-related gene networks and the construction of hypotheses regarding target molecule candidates. This service has already been adopted by multiple major pharmaceutical companies and has a proven track record.
*The technology used in Drug Discovery AI Factory is covered by a total of 21 patents held by FRONTEO in Japan, Europe, the U.S., and South Korea.
https://lifescience.fronteo.com/products/drug-discovery-ai-factory/
About FRONTEO, Inc. https://www.fronteo.com/en/
FRONTEO provides its proprietary Equation-driven AI "KIBIT" to support the judgment of experts in various fields who face social challenges day and night, and creates the starting point for innovation. Unlike general-purpose AI, its unique natural language processing technology (patented in Japan, Europe, the U.S., and South Korea) enables high-speed, high-precision analysis without reliance on training data volume or computational power.
Additionally, patented technology that maps (visualizes structure) analyzed information allows KIBIT to directly influence expert insights, and in recent years, KIBIT has been applied in hypothesis generation and target discovery for drug development.
Guided by its mission to enhance fairness in the information society by uncovering opportunities and risks hidden in collective intelligence, FRONTEO promotes social implementation in life sciences AI, risk management (including economic security, business intelligence compliance support, business intelligence professional support and legaltech AI), and digital transformation support (Alnetz Inc.).
Founded in August 2003, FRONTEO was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Market (now the Growth Market) on June 26, 2007. The company has offices in Japan, the U.S., and South Korea. As of March 31, 2026, FRONTEO’s capital stands at 915,057,000 yen.
*FRONTEO, KIBIT, and Drug Discovery AI Factory are trademarks or registered trademarks of FRONTEO in Japan, Europe, the U.S., and South Korea.
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