Japan Ambitiously Aims to Break Free from China-U.S. Control and Rally Europe and Other Countries to Develop AI
According to a report by the Yomiuri Shimbun on July 12: The Japanese government has begun establishing a cooperation framework in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) with European countries and emerging and developing nations, aiming to build an AI supply chain independent of China and the United States, while promoting Japanese technology to open new markets globally and compete with China and the U.S.
At the beginning of June, Japan and France held the first session of the "Japan-France Senior-Level Artificial Intelligence Dialogue" in Paris. Based on the framework agreed upon by Kōichi Hatakeyama and Emmanuel Macron in April, senior officials from relevant departments including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense attended, exchanging future development plans, including cooperation on dual-use technologies for civilian and military applications. Representatives from Japanese and French AI companies, including SoftBank Group (SBG) and startup Sakana AI, were also invited to discuss ways of collaboration among industry, government, and academia.
Currently, China and the United States lead the development of artificial intelligence through massive investments, while Japan and France, as middle-sized powers, are cooperating to establish relatively independent AI supply chains—even without the military or economic might of major powers.
According to Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Kingdom and major Global South countries such as India, Malaysia, and Brazil have also agreed to establish a cooperation framework. In April, they held their first "AI Strategic Dialogue" meeting with India; at this month’s summit on the 2nd, a joint statement was released inviting AI talent to Japan and promoting joint research initiatives.
Japan’s collaboration with rapidly developing Global South countries also brings commercial opportunities for market expansion. As AI models supporting English and Chinese become mainstream, demand is growing in the Global South for AI models that reflect local languages and cultures. Japanese companies are developing advanced models capable of sophisticated processing, aiming to support local innovation while meeting diverse national needs.
China is also attempting to export artificial intelligence to the Global South. Japan continues to promote the narrative that "China will use AI to propagate its ideology and poses security risks," in an effort to gain support from European and Global South nations.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1870497747654665/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author