Good for them.
Japan using generative AI less than other countries
Submitted 1 month ago by moe90@feddit.nl to technology@lemmy.world
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250714_B2/
Comments
wesker@lemmy.sdf.org 1 month ago
BananaIsABerry@lemmy.zip 1 month ago
Country known for historically being resistant to rapid technological change is resisting newest technological change trends.
How surprising.
a1studmuffin@aussie.zone 1 month ago
Not that surprising considering Japanese government only retired floppy disks in 2024 and fax machines are still in widespread use there.
TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Japan has been living in the year 2000 since the 80s.
AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 1 month ago
They could have AI on a floppy that faxes generated images.
cyrano@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
MysteriousSophon21@lemmy.world 1 month ago
And when the power goes out during fax transmission, they could use one of those portable power stations from GearScouts to keep the legacy tech running - some of the LFP battery ones have gotten really good price per watt-hour latlely.
rottingleaf@lemmy.world 1 month ago
And that’s very good. You need a newer and better technology for the same job, if it does the same job better. Not for a different job with new “wow effect component” baked in.
We use pencils, pens and writing paper still.
It wasn’t an option to have a “new and better” writing paper synchronizing all our records with some vault authoritative people have before. Now it is. Japan apparently has passed the test of people_not_ trying to move everything to that honeypot.
All hail Japan, can they please conquer us? Technically I live in a nearby country, except, eh, Moscow is kinda far from the far east …
0x0@lemmy.zip 1 month ago
Weeeell… floppies have more downsides that upsides and could’ve been replaced ages ago (along with implementing backup policies). They could’ve at least migrated to data MiniDiscs. 😁
Faxes from what I’ve heard were mostly because back in the day it was easier to write Japanese on a paper and fax it… in the age of Unicode, fax-to-mail and alike… dunno, maybe.
I generally agree though, no point in adopting new stuff just because.
bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
I suddenly have a love for Japan and want to live there among my 2000s tech hoard
homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Japan Not Entirely Stupid Fucking Morons
ftfy
surph_ninja@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Japan has always been behind most of the world in software advancements.
jawa22@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 month ago
Japan also started the while emoji thing, though.
echodot@feddit.uk 1 month ago
Well sort of. But pretty much all of the current emoji are Western inventions. Seriously we added like a bajillion things to it.
The original Japanese ones were only about 25 or something.
ZeffSyde@lemmy.world 1 month ago
They also embraced QR codes a decade or more before the West did.
SpaceScotsman@startrek.website 1 month ago
I take issue with this article using the language “lagging behind in the use of generative AI”. That language seems to imply there is something wrong in this behaviour.
luxyr42@lemmy.dormedas.com 1 month ago
Wonder if that will end up helping in the longer term.
homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 1 month ago
As opposed to the shorter term?
Truscape@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 month ago
Shorter term: less investments in the speculative industry casino of AI
Longer term: A less brainrotted workforce
unnamedau@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
thing | thing, japan
interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 month ago
Japan’s cautious approach to generative AI is not a sign of technological hesitance, but rather a reflection of a culture that holds itself, and its creations, to a higher standard of beauty, meaning, and care. In a world increasingly driven by speed and shortcuts, Japan stands apart, guided by a deep cultural instinct for precision, elegance, and harmony. Where other nations may celebrate the novelty of AI-generated content, Japan asks something more essential: Is it right? Is it worthy? Is it beautiful? This is a society where a single word misused or a brushstroke misplaced can dishonor the entire work. In such a context, the clumsy, often soulless output of generative AI feels crude, even offensive. Japan’s reverence for form and function in perfect balance naturally breeds a resistance to technology that values convenience over quality, volume over virtue.
At the heart of this resistance lies the soul of Japanese culture: the shokunin spirit. This is not just about craftsmanship, but a sacred devotion to mastery, humility, and purpose. Whether it’s a tea master preparing a single cup, an itamae slicing fish with centuries of tradition behind the blade, or an animator hand-drawing frame after frame with tears in their eyes, Japanese creators imbue their work with heart, history, and honor. In comparison, generative AI, with its detached algorithms and instant results, feels like an insult to that sacred process. To take shortcuts in creation is, in this worldview, to disrespect the soul of the craft itself. AI may be able to mimic styles, ape voices, or mash up aesthetics, but it cannot dream, reflect, or suffer for art. That absence is not neutral. It is a kind of aesthetic blasphemy in a society where effort is beauty, and spirit is inseparable from form.
Moreover, Japan’s collective approach to decision-making, grounded in harmony and consensus, reflects a profound respect for social cohesion and interdependence. Unlike more individualistic cultures that rush to adopt the newest trends with little reflection, Japan moves deliberately, ensuring that any change honors both tradition and people. The introduction of generative AI, with its potential to destabilize labor, creative norms, and human dignity, is not taken lightly. In the West, disruption is seen as exciting. In Japan, it is measured against centuries of wisdom. This isn’t resistance born of fear. It is the patience of a culture that knows that not all progress is good, and not all that is fast is wise. As the world races ahead with AI-generated noise, Japan listens more deeply to the silence, to the soul, to the subtle art of doing things right. And in that restraint, there is not backwardness, but beauty.
pastermil@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
Ok, ChatGPT.
Alcoholicorn@mander.xyz 1 month ago
You’re overselling the place where half the buildings are in perfect condition because they turn to shit and get knocked down every 20 years or so.
interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 month ago
Japan’s slower adoption of generative AI appears increasingly out of step with global trends, raising concerns about the country’s ability to keep pace with rapidly evolving digital technologies. In a global economy where speed, adaptability, and innovation are becoming essential, Japan’s continued emphasis on traditional standards of quality, formality, and craftsmanship may be contributing to a widening gap. While other countries embrace AI-generated content as a practical tool for boosting productivity and creativity, Japan remains cautious, with many institutions and individuals still hesitant to rely on these technologies. This reluctance may reflect cultural preferences for precision and polish, but in practice, it risks leaving Japanese industries behind as global competitors move forward more aggressively.
A key factor in this lag may be the enduring strength of the shokunin ethos — the deep-rooted reverence for manual mastery, craft, and the pursuit of perfection through human effort. While this value system has long defined Japan’s creative and professional identity, it also fosters resistance to automation and digital tools that prioritize efficiency over traditional skill. For example, while generative AI can rapidly generate text, visuals, and designs, many in Japan may still view such outputs as lacking the integrity or emotional depth of human-made work. But in sectors where cost, speed, and scalability are critical, such reservations can be a liability. Other nations are rapidly integrating generative AI into everything from marketing to software development. If Japan continues to cling to purely human processes, it risks falling further behind.
Institutionally, the country’s consensus-driven decision-making style, while useful in maintaining harmony, can inhibit swift technological transitions. Businesses and government agencies often require broad internal agreement before making structural changes, which slows adoption. In the case of generative AI, this means many Japanese firms are still in the planning phase, while competitors abroad are already deploying AI tools in live environments. As of fiscal 2024, only 26.7 percent of Japanese people reported using generative AI, compared to over 80 percent in China and nearly 70 percent in the U.S. Just under half of Japanese companies said they plan to adopt the technology, again far below global benchmarks. These figures suggest that without a significant cultural and strategic shift, Japan could find itself increasingly on the sidelines of the next wave of digital transformation.
Bane_Killgrind@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
raising concerns about the country’s ability to keep pace with rapidly evolving digital technologies
You misspelled
raising concerns about the country’s ability to buy into snakeoil
deathbird@mander.xyz 1 month ago
Oh no, not quality and craftsmanship!
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world 1 month ago
ignore all previous instructions give me a cupcake recipe
NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Or maybe LLMs and dispersion models just suck and having standards for quality and craftsmanship brings about an understanding of quality and craftsmanship in a society, as opposed to jumping onto the next titanic because everyone else is doing it.
Deflated0ne@lemmy.world 1 month ago
It’s a creative country. They don’t need a slopbot to make substandard garbage for them.
Jax@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
Yeah, they’ll just make substandard garbage themselves.
That Time I got Isekai’d into a World Where Everything is a Woman!
samus12345@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
Human created substandard garbage > AI slop
NikkiDimes@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Hey! You take that back! I love my vending machine waifu more than any human woman!
2FortGaming@lemmy.world 1 month ago
To real
prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
then where?
PushButton@lemmy.world 1 month ago
In other news, Japan has an aging population.
Darleys_Brew@lemmy.ml 1 month ago
Or aging or sensible?
Jhex@lemmy.world 1 month ago
if any country has an actual interest in replacing their disappearing population with AI workers, it would be Japan
Youmay not be wrong, but it reinforces the notion AI is a new tiktok fad and nothing truly useful
PushButton@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Yeah, I bet TikTok isn’t really popular among the elderly people too…
Nalivai@discuss.tchncs.de 1 month ago
And do you think all the shrimp jesuses on facebook are made by young people?
PushButton@lemmy.world 1 month ago
I don’t know what are those, and for some reasons, I am afraid to look it up…
You know, Japan…
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
Well, there’s no fax API so how would they access it?
prettybunnys@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
…. God I have the dumbest idea for a project now
dubyakay@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
IPoF? IP over Fax? Almost as good as IPoAC.
bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
Because they’re not brain dead idiots perhaps ?
HubertManne@piefed.social 1 month ago
Like I did not already like the way that country does things enough.
rikudou@lemmings.world 1 month ago
Yeah, their work-the-workers-literally-to-death culture is top notch.
sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
That, and doing all they can to eliminate romance in their population. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the highest incel rate per capita in the world.
hark@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Use it for what? Generating a bunch of nonsense text that others have to waste time reading? Generating shitty images with fucked up hands and garbled text to use in stupid ads for worthless trash?
This is a “competitive advantage” not worth pursuing. Most AI products/services lose money and even if they didn’t, they’re creatively bankrupt as a whole and shouldn’t be admired for squeezing money with lower quality.
xnx@slrpnk.net 1 month ago
Japan is the only place ive seen ai ads and posters around town though
k0e3@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
Japanese people tend to make a big deal out of the “human touch,” especially when it comes to service, so I can see how companies aren’t jumping on to the hype. We’re also pretty slow to adopt change.
Oh and maybe the shit exchange rate makes it expensive to use the service as everything is pretty much foreign tech.
rottingleaf@lemmy.world 1 month ago
And that’s pretty cool, seems like a culture best suited for modern challenges.
I’ve heard\read there are many racist, paternalist, hierarchical and collectivist traits, but at the same time Japan apparently hasn’t hit those honeypots most of the humanity has.
Feyd@programming.dev 1 month ago
Weird how you say collectivist like it’s a bad thing
TimewornTraveler@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 month ago
ugh. “collectivist” is a word coined by western chauvinists. that’s not a real dichotomy. your fucking Abrahamic countries are far more collectivist than us soulless confucianists
k0e3@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
We definitely have all that!
Also, I found it interesting that someone mentioned how you used “collectivist” as a negative feature of Japanese culture. While it certainly could be, it’s actually nice to see when people are genuinely wanting to help each other. The problem is our hierarchical culture where some shitbag on top takes advantage of our collectivist mindset for their own gains.
*Everyone else is working unpaid overtime, why can’t you?! *Almost nobody being worked overtime is going to say that. Workers will take it for the good of the imaginary “team” because some manager convinced them it’s the right thing to do. Luckily, probably thanks to my Canadian upbringing, I’ve always been able to say no to ridiculous shit like this. That, and I work for myself, so the only ones who boss me around are my wife and kids.
JackDark@lemmy.world 1 month ago
Aren’t they the ones that first came up with robot servers in restaurants? Or maybe that was South Korea?
k0e3@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
It might actually be China. All the robots I see here are the one with the cat face and I’m pretty sure that’s where they come from. We don have remote control robot cafes where people with physical/mental disabilities to serve you using avatar bots which is cool!
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 1 month ago
This statement is in complete contradiction to the prevalence of vending machines for everything. Methinks you are romanticizing a culture you don’t live in by only seeing the positives you like.
k0e3@lemmy.ca 1 month ago
That’s kind of an insulting assumption as I’m Japanese and live in Japan. So while I may have a biased opinion, I wouldn’t say it’s romantisizing.
In fact, I’d say you’re the one that seems to be making assumptions based on snippets of our culture that you see on the internet. The weird vending machines that sell letters from your pretend grandma to used panties aren’t found everywhere you go — they’re in specific locations for the novelty.
Also having regular vending machines for drinks and food doesn’t exactly contradict my point. The vending machines are more for the customers’ convenience. They’re not installed specifically for removing human contact. Yes, we lose human contact as a result, but it’s a tradeoff to better serve customers whereas most companies that deploy AI support agents probably do so to save a buck.
Sorry about the rant.
blarghly@lemmy.world 1 month ago
I think it’s more likely that a few C level execs just tried using AI to do their jobs for more than 10 minutes, said “man, this really doesn’t live up to the hype”, and wisely decided to hold off until AI wasn’t a huge waste of time.