Japanese information technology group Fujitsu will offer financial institutions a credit-scoring tool that uses artificial intelligence to screen prospective borrowers. The Tokyo-based company envisions the cloud-based software, which will be available starting in October, being used by lenders mainly to assess small, owner-operated businesses. Fujitsu sees a need for such tools amid a shortage of data specialists available to perform credit analysis in Japan's financial sector. With financial technology startups proliferating, the IT-industry blue chip seeks to draw on its existing customer relationships in marketing the AI software. Credit scores will be generated based on such information as bank and business transactions.