New findings show majority have no plans of introducing AI at work
About a quarter of organisations in Japan are using artificial intelligence, according to a new report, with a majority of them doing so to cope with labour shortages.
A survey by Nikkei Research, conducted for Reuters, saw roughly 250 firms respond to the question of AI adoption in the workplace.
It found that 24% have already introduced AI in their organisation, with 60% saying they did it to address the shortage of workers.
Another 53% cited labour costs as reason for AI adoption, while 36% cited acceleration in research and development, Reuters reported.
On the other hand, 35% of organisations surveyed said they are still planning to introduce AI at work, while 41% said they have no plans of doing so.
A barrier to introducing AI at work that is cited by one respondent is the "anxiety among employees over possible headcount reduction."
It reflects the widespread fears in the workforce of potentially losing their jobs due to AI, which was validated by various research that warned millions of occupations could be put at risk due to the developing technology.
Other barriers cited by the respondents include the lack of technological expertise, substantial capital expenditure, and concern about reliability, Reuters reported.
Reuters and Nikkei's findings further add proof to Japan's slow adoption to AI, with a previous report saying the country is behind China, United States, United Kingdom, and Germany in embracing the rapidly developing technology.
