Japan has recently unveiled Society 5.0, an expansive initiative using artificial intelligence (AI) to address problems like population ageing and pollution. Furthermore, these solutions should become readily accessible worldwide.
What are the Challenges?
Japan is an industry leader when it comes to robotics and AI research and development, but it is grappling with various obstacles. One is its shortage of human resources. According to Recof's mergers and acquisitions consultancy report, Japan's workforce has aged rapidly due to overwork; their population could drop below 100 million people by 2049 according to some projections.
Researchers at the National Institute of Science and Technology (AIST) hope to use additional data sets available for AI systems as a training ground for training them to tackle more difficult problems than previously.
Additionally, in March 2017 the government issued a national Artificial Intelligence strategy, with emphasis on productivity, health and mobility as its goals. Unfortunately it does not address relevant challenges like road transport laws and regulations or privacy/liability when AI systems malfunction.
What are the Opportunities?
Japan's government-led Society 5.0 initiative is using AI technology to reinvent society in order to tackle social inequality. Their primary objective is maintaining productivity among an aging population by digitalising infrastructure, finance, healthcare and logistics initiatives that connect different regions across Japan.
This includes a broad spectrum of business functions, from automated customer service through self-driving cars and intelligent manufacturing. Together with government, industry and academia are coming together to develop technology that will benefit lives nationwide.
European firms possessing advanced AI capabilities could find great opportunity in Japan's market, such as machine learning (image recognition and data analytics), deep learning and automated marketing. According to this study, European firms need a partner or niche that could assist them in accessing this market.
What is the Future of AI in Japan?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is emerging as a key enabler of future competitiveness for Japanese society, evidenced by various policy and funding programs.
AI research among Japanese firms is also on the rise, with Honda having established an AI RD base in June 2016. Other firms may follow Honda's example and invest in AI RD efforts as well.
European SMEs entering the AI market in Japan face some unique obstacles. Most significantly, there is an ongoing talent gap when it comes to understanding AI technologies and their applications.
What is the Future of AI Research in Japan?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an emergent technology with the potential to transform society. AI has quickly become a driving force on global markets as well as Japan where it's seen as one of the key components for creating "Society 5.0," an evolving society where physical space and cyberspace merge more closely together.
Japan has embraced AI research with gusto from both private and public enterprises alike, including Toshiba which recently implemented AI into their mainstay flash memory plant to monitor semiconductor yield rate and classify defects automatically.
Mitsubishi Electric, a world leader in information processing and communications equipment, electronics, energy management and transportation, has also begun work on "compact AI" technology that can be integrated into embedded systems without the need for large servers. They plan to incorporate this AI technology into driver-assisted vehicles and robots by 2017.
Japanese lawmakers have noted the necessity of legislative changes to accommodate AI technology advancement, particularly regarding ownership concerns for algorithms that have become so advanced and capable of self-learning.
