A recent survey by Teikoku Databank Ltd. revealed that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) adoption remains limited in Japan, with less than 20 percent of companies currently utilizing it. The survey, conducted from June 14 to July 5 among 4,705 primarily small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), highlighted a number of factors contributing to this reluctance, reported Japan’s news agency Kyodo News.
The primary concern cited by 54.1 percent of respondents was a lack of skilled staff and operational expertise. Additionally, 41.1 percent expressed doubts about the accuracy of AI-generated content, while 39.1 percent remained unclear about which tasks would benefit from AI integration.
Read more: Over 40 percent of Japanese firms remain hesitant to adopt AI: Survey
Furthermore, companies expressed concerns about legal implications, including copyright and privacy protection, as well as the risk of information leaks. They also emphasized the need for internal rules to address potential issues arising from AI use.
Despite these concerns, 26.8 percent of surveyed companies are considering adopting GenAI. Among those currently using it, 59.9 percent employ it for information gathering, followed by tasks like text summarization and brainstorming.
While only 19.5 percent of companies using AI have established clear guidelines for its use, 86.7 percent report positive outcomes. Yohei Sadaka, an official of Teikoku Databank, believes that as GenAI continues to evolve, more businesses will embrace it.
“Companies need to understand the associated risks and establish clear internal guidelines to effectively utilize AI,” Sadaka emphasized.
In May 2024, during a gathering at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida revealed a global framework for regulating and utilizing generative AI.Â
This framework stems from Japan’s pivotal role in the “Hiroshima AI Process,” initiated during Japan’s G7 presidency in May 2023. The “Hiroshima AI Process” focused on fostering the development of safe, secure, and trustworthy AI technologies.
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