The Ministry of Finance says 75% of Japanese companies use artificial intelligence in their business operations. The comparable figure was 11 percent about five years ago.
According to the ministry, the survey was conducted from December to January and more than 1,100 companies responded.
AI usage rose from 19% to 89% among large companies. Among medium-sized companies, it rose from 8% to 66%. The use of AI in small and medium-sized businesses has also jumped from 4% to 65%.
According to the study, this technology is primarily used for document drafting, followed by information gathering, technical support and development.
Regarding the benefits of AI, respondents said online chatbots have significantly reduced the need to answer the phone. One company expects to save about 60,000 hours a year by using AI to take minutes of meetings and summarize emails.
One retailer participating in the study said that AI product analysis has nearly quadrupled sales. Other companies used the technology for training by having algorithms learn the skills of veteran employees.
On the downside, some companies claim they lack the workforce or expertise to use AI. There were also concerns about the risk of information leaks.
