Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised that the country's next economic package will support AI development.
This innovative initiative comes as the Asian country falls behind in the intensifying artificial intelligence race.
But, will Japan's next economic package really help the country keep up with the likes of the United States, the U.K., and other countries leading AI development?
Japan's Next Economic Package Will Support AI Development, Says Kishida
According to Kyodo News, Kishida announced on Monday, Oct. 9, that they will release a new economic package that will boost the artificial intelligence development of the country.
He shared this upcoming effort at the ongoing Internet Governance Forum in Kyoto, Japan. He said that the discussions' outcome will be utilized in the Hiroshima AI Process.
After that, the Japanese government is expected to draw the new economic package around the end of October. The prime minister explained that the economic package will ensure that funds will also facilitate the integration of AI.
These include artificial intelligence incorporations in small and midsize businesses, as well as in medical and other fields essential to Japan.
Another AI effort that the Japanese prime minister announced is the establishment of international guidelines for AI developers.
The Japanese government is doing this with the help of other G-7 leaders, who are also attending the Hiroshima AI Process event.
Japan Falls Behind in AI Race
The U.S., the U.K., China, and other super countries are all racing to develop their own generative artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.
While these nations are making huge AI breakthroughs, CNBC reported that Japan is falling behind in artificial intelligence development.
"Japan's trailing position in the field of generative AI largely stems from its comparative shortcomings in deep learning and more extensive software development," said Kotoba Technology's co-founder, Noriyuki Kojima.
He explained that AIs and MLs need a robust community of software engineers. Unfortunately, Japan is expected to face a deficit of over 780,000 software experts by 2030.
This was shared by the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry. As of press time, Japan is ranked 28th out of 63 countries when it comes to AI development and other technological advancements.
Another issue that Japan is facing is the need to be trained to use AI supercomputers, such as Microsoft's Azure and IBM's Vela. These supercomputers are essential to develop LLMs.
This is why Fumio Kishida decided to include AI development enhancements in the next economic package of the country.
