Riding the Wave of AI with Japan’s Maverick: An Odyssey with Masayoshi Son
Today I’m going to talk about the recent buzz around “AGI” in Japan, which was sparked by a certain speech.
Many Japanese people saw Son Masayoshi appear in the media again after a long time thanks to this speech. Now, while most Japanese know this man well, he’s not very well-known outside of Japan. So first I want to explain who this great figure is.
Who is Son Masayoshi??
Masayoshi Son is the founder and long-time CEO of SoftBank Group. SoftBank originally started as a software wholesaler, but under Son’s ambitious vision it has grown into a communications, internet services, and more recently a global investment holding company. The evolution of this company is a testament to both the evolution of business in Japan and Son’s leadership, and shows the potential for a Japan-based company to take a more global and innovative approach that diverges somewhat from traditional Japanese corporate management styles.
Son’s business philosophy is very notable. He strongly believes in the “information revolution era” and thinks the world can be changed through technology. This philosophy provides a new approach that differs from old Japanese business practices, and has had a huge influence especially on young entrepreneurs and business leaders. His vision emphasizes the importance for Japanese companies to compete in international markets and grow through innovation.
Furthermore, Son plays an important role in Japanese society. Through his investment activities, especially his “Vision Fund,” he has invested in many new technologies and startups, expanding business opportunities both in Japan and globally. The Vision Fund is the world’s largest tech investment fund, and enables Son to provide Japanese companies with the capital and resources needed to compete in the global marketplace.
While Son’s impact on Japan is immense, his success is also grounded in the country’s unique culture and economic background. He brought fresh winds into Japan’s business world, demonstrating global vision and innovative approaches tailored to Japan’s distinct business climate. His story highlights the potential in Japan’s business world, and the new strategies Japanese companies should adopt to succeed on the international business stage.
Son’s accomplishments and influence are highly insightful. They illustrate how Japan’s economy and business environment have evolved, and what strategies and approaches are necessary for Japanese companies to gain international competitiveness. Most importantly, his story provides a glimpse into the future potential of business in Japan, suggesting that innovative, globally-minded leadership like Son’s is critical for Japanese companies to succeed in global markets.
Sense of Crisis Regarding the Emergence of AGI
I got a bit carried away writing more than I meant to, but now I want to get to the main topic of this post. On October 4th, 2023, Mr. Murata gave about an hour long speech. For many people, this speech further expanded the possibilities of artificial general intelligence.
https://youtu.be/Gh0xzbgCIgg?si=Wtqwb8D6fCkuZLE1
So, while summarizing the topics he talked about in the YouTube video, I’ll also give my own take!
The gist of the video is to strongly warn about the coming of the AI age and Japan’s delayed response to it.
First, he pointed out the low recognition of the term AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). Very few people in Japan know about AGI, which shows the country is being left behind, and he appealed for the need to deepen understanding of AGI.
AGI refers to “general purpose artificial intelligence,” an AI with human-level or above intelligence that can demonstrate abilities across all fields. Son predicts that AGI will reach 10 times human intelligence within 10 years.
Furthermore, Son pointed out that companies not utilizing the latest AIs like GPT-4 are “denying electricity.” In conservative Japanese companies, only 7% are using GPT-4, and over 70% are “prohibiting” it. He sounded the alarm that this backwards stance toward AI adoption is causing Japan to be left behind.
On the other hand, Son stated his group aims to maximize AI utilization. He revealed they held an internal group AI utilization contest which received 100,000 entries. He also appealed their achievements, stating patent applications arising from the contest reached 10,000. Son himself aims to apply for 10,000 patents in one year as an inventor.
In his speech, Son predicted that in 10 years AGI will evolve to 10 times human intelligence, and in 10 more years to 1,000 times. He appealed that it’s important to position AGI’s evolution not as a threat to humanity, but as our greatest ally.
He argued that for Japan to become an AI advanced nation, reforms in corporate and public consciousness are necessary, and the awakening of many people, especially youth, is required. Son presented a vision for Japan to lead the world through AI.
Son’s talk contained an ambitious message warning of Japan’s crisis of being left behind in the AI age, while simultaneously expressing determination to prevent that and lead the world. With the speed of AI adaptation influencing national power, his content gave significant insights into how Japan should respond in this era.
Here are some reactions from people who watched the speech:
- AI may steal human jobs; policies for unemployment needed - AI abilities are still limited; humans superior in creative work - AI doctors have high diagnostic skills but human doctors are more trustworthy - AI just a tool; dangerous without human control - AI can process data but can’t generate new ideas - AI is convenient but need to refocus on fundamentally human ways of living - AI not sci-fi; should already be implemented in society - Japan behind in AI adoption; reforms needed but reality is harsh
I completely agree with him. In my experience, people who use ChatGPT daily versus those who don’t have an overwhelming difference in productivity. I think this phenomenon is happening not just in Japan, but across the world, so I want to share this information and give everyone an understanding of the perception towards AI in Japanese industry.
