Hello.
My name is Kotaro Yonemaru, and I am an intern at the Institute for International Strategy and Information Analysis, Inc. (IISIA).

In Vol. 2, published on Thursday, June 25, under the title “The Power to Ask Questions: What ‘AI-enabled Governance’ Requires of Us,” I shared my reflections on the theme of the “question gap,” drawing on my experience at the Annual Conference of the Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence.
Vol. 2 is available here: https://iisia.jp/intern-perspectives-on-ai-and-social-contribution-initiatives-vol-2/
Vol. 1 is available here: https://iisia.jp/intern-perspectives-on-ai-and-social-contribution-initiatives-vol-1/

I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the many responses we have received over the past two installments.

Now, this three-part series has reached its final installment. What I would like to discuss this time is the very nature of IISIA as an organization. The theme is: “What a ‘Zebra-type’ Think Tank Has Taught Me.”

When I speak with friends who have begun thinking about job hunting, there is one question I am often asked.

“What exactly is that company trying to achieve? Does it want to make money, or is it working for society?”

This question itself contains a certain assumption.

It assumes that pursuing profit and contributing to society are difficult to reconcile.

Before I became involved with IISIA as an intern, I used to think in a similar way. For-profit companies prioritize profits for shareholder returns and business growth. NPOs and foundations, on the other hand, do not place profit-making at the center of their activities, and instead address social issues. I thought this kind of dichotomy was the general way to understand business.

However, through my work at IISIA, I have begun to feel that this assumption is changing.

In recent years, a concept known as the “Zebra Company” has attracted attention as a new way of thinking about business.

In contrast to the “unicorn company,” which has often been discussed in the startup world as a symbol of rapid growth and high valuation, a zebra-type company refers to a company that seeks sustainable growth by balancing the pursuit of profit with contributions to society.

The metaphor of the “zebra” refers to the black and white stripes of the animal. It suggests that a company can embody two seemingly different elements: profitability and social value. Rather than sacrificing one for the other, a zebra-type company seeks to continue its business while valuing both. This is the distinctive feature of the zebra-type approach.

In fact, Zebras Unite, an international network surrounding zebra companies, has developed as a global movement involving entrepreneurs, investors, supporters, and others.

Since its founding, IISIA has built a stable revenue base through various businesses, including open-source information analysis and the development of AI services using cutting-edge algorithms. At the same time, it has carried out a range of initiatives under the name of “social contribution activities.” The Kusunoki Project, in which I have been involved, is one such initiative.

In general, balancing these two dimensions is by no means easy. Activities that do not directly generate profit are often regarded as “costs” from a management perspective, and may be among the first to be reduced.

Through my involvement in the Kusunoki Project as an intern, however, I have come to realize something important.

When I stand in the position of explaining how to build a RAG system or how to design an automated cryptocurrency trading system, I am forced to think deeply about where to begin in order to communicate effectively.

The perspective of the “question gap,” which I discussed in Vol. 2, was also refined through this very experience of teaching. I have come to feel that the ability to ask “why?” is also a fundamental ability required every day in the field of research and analysis that IISIA provides to its members.

In other words, for me, social contribution activities were not something that existed “outside” profit-making businesses. Rather, they were practical arenas that helped me retrain the very abilities required across all areas of business.

One member who participated in the Kusunoki Project once said the following:

“IISIA allocates 50 percent of the profits from its membership services to social contribution activities, doesn’t it?”
“That is precisely why I decided to become a member.”

These words made me realize that there is a distinct value that emerges beyond the mere balance between the pursuit of profit and contribution to society.

Profit-generating activities and socially meaningful activities support one another, thereby helping to realize the organization’s mission and vision. I now understand that this structure is the essence of a zebra-type company, and that it is also the way IISIA has long sought to operate.

Through this three-part series, what I have consistently wanted to convey is a fundamental question that lies beyond the technical discussion of “how to use AI.”

It is the question of why organizations exist, and what human beings should ask within them.

Profit, or social contribution?

Perhaps this way of framing the question itself has already become outdated.

What we should ask is not whether the two can be balanced, but what we can accomplish once they are balanced.

Working in a “zebra-type” environment has led me to continue reflecting on this question.

Thank you very much for reading this three-part series.

As I have discussed throughout this series, what truly matters in the AI era is not simply whether we can use new technologies. What matters is how we face those technologies, what questions we ask, what we learn, and how we choose to engage with the future. Through my experience in the Kusunoki Project, I have come to feel that this attitude is essential.

Applications are currently open for Kusunoki Project Phase I and Kusunoki Project Phase II, Second Term.

Will we face the AI era with anxiety?
Or will we face it as those who help create the future?

As a first step, we sincerely hope that many people will take this opportunity to participate.

■ Kusunoki Project Phase I
Basic Python programming course led by IISIA student interns
Apply here:
URL: https://form.run/@bdg-ue4WeHBmMtMJjbg4fC7N

■ Kusunoki Project Phase II, Second Term
Building an automated cryptocurrency trading system incorporating AI algorithms
Apply here:
URL: https://form.run/@bdg-kO0jFR6y2Z4Bi3PpNXUS

For further details, please visit:
URL: https://haradatakeo.com/news/513704/

If you found this article interesting, it would be a great encouragement to our internship activities.

We would be grateful if you could share it through social media and other channels.

The views expressed in this article are the personal reflections of the author and do not represent the official views of IISIA.

Kotaro Yonemaru
Intern, Institute for International Strategy and Information Analysis, Inc.