SoftBank Launches AI Service for Call Centers That Converts Harsh Customer Voices into Softer Voices

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, February 8, 2026

SoftBank Corp. has launched a corporate service that uses AI to convert the voices of customers who call in with a harsh speaking voice into a calmer tone.

The company expects the service to be introduced at corporate call centers as a measure to address customer harassment, which includes the verbal abuse of employees and unreasonable demands from customers.

Based on joint research with the University of Tokyo, the company has developed the technology, which allows AI to instantly convert customers’ voices into a calmer tone without changing their remarks. The AI was trained on a total of 60,000 hours of pre-recorded voices, including shouting and aggressive voices. Pilot trials found that the technology reduced employees’ mental burdens by over 30%.

The service is also equipped with a function that issues warnings to callers via automated voice messages on behalf of the employees when complaints and excessively long calls disrupt operations.

In October this year, businesses will be required to implement measures to protect employees from customer harassment, as the legal amendment comes into effect.

A SoftBank official said, “In many instances, it is difficult to draw a clear line between customer harassment and legitimate complaints. It’s effective to remove just the upsetting element while leaving the content of the conversation unchanged.”