What 36 Japanese AI managers spotted as differences between US and Japanese corporate AI programs

Abstract

Managers of 36 Japanese corporate AI (artificial intelligence) programs were interviewed about differences they observed between corporate AI programs in Japan and such programs in the USA. Later, a smaller group of the same subjects was presented with the results from the first survey and asked to make sense of them. The results indicate that greater AI impact on business is going on in Japan due to AI being 'inserted' into business processes that are more self-consciously modeled in Japan than in the USA. The quality framework and process control framework in Japan are creating new forms of AI, from fuzzy reasoning VLSI chips to AI simulators of quality business processes as translations of customer needs. The survey showed a split between first generation AI in Japan that imitated Lisp and Prolog work in the US and second generation AI that downsizes AI. An interesting social spin-off from AI-social connectionism-as an image of Japanese work organizations was also uncovered.<>