Microsoft Regional Chief Says This Country Has 'Caught Up' In AI Technology And Continues To Pick Up The Pace: 'I Think It Will Continue To Accelerate'

Author: Ananya Gairola | June 16, 2024 09:47pm

Microsoft Corporation‘s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Japan president Miki Tsusaka has expressed her belief that the country’s rapid adoption of artificial intelligence could further boost its economy and technology sector.

What Happened: Tsusaka highlighted Japan’s swift embrace of new AI tools, attributing it to the country’s digitalization push during the pandemic. She noted that Japan had made significant progress, despite previously lagging, reported Bloomberg.

“The Japanese have caught up. And I think it will continue to accelerate at this point because the technology enables things that we haven’t been able to do,” Tsusaka said, adding, “We don't have enough people, our population is aging, and yet generative AI has the power to accelerate growth.”

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Tsusaka is particularly interested in empowering more women in the local workforce, a key focus area for Microsoft in Japan. She also identified cybersecurity as a crucial priority, saying, “You can't use AI without security. It's security, security, security. And then you get to use AI.”

“We all were wowed when the internet came,” she said. “Mobile phones now are part of our bodies. But generative AI, I think, is a technology revolution that surpasses all of those.”

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Why It Matters: Microsoft’s commitment to Japan’s AI development is evident in its $2.9 billion investment over the next two years to expand its AI data centers in the country. This investment, announced in April, coincided with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida‘s visit to Washington.

Microsoft’s AI push in Japan has also attracted other major players in the industry. In the same month, ChatGPT-parent OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, opened its first Asian office in Tokyo, aiming to engage with regional businesses and cultivate new revenue streams.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Posted In: MSFT