Sam Altman, OpenAI's co-founder and CEO, expressed interest in establishing a Japan office and enhancing Japanese language services after meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Altman shared his enthusiasm for engaging with Japanese talent and developing valuable technology for the people of Japan while speaking to reporters in Tokyo on Monday.
Since launching its ChatGPT service in November, OpenAI has sparked widespread interest in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Microsoft Corp. committed $10 billion to the company and integrated its technology into Bing's search engine. In response, Google, the leading search service globally, has incorporated AI technologies of its own.
Altman discussed the potential of AI technology with Kishida, emphasizing the importance of addressing any drawbacks, mitigating risks, and ensuring that AI benefits people as much as possible. OpenAI plans to adapt its models to the Japanese language and culture to make them more appealing.
According to Altman, AI development will be one of the most significant technological revolutions in history, and Japan can play a crucial role as a prominent adopter, user, and creator of the technology. Furthermore, he believes the country can contribute to setting the global regulatory agenda.
Takuya Hirai, chair of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's committee on promoting digital society, stressed the necessity of regulation, either through legislation or guidelines, to address the risks to human rights and privacy that unchecked AI usage could pose. He urged the government to create a safe zone for people as soon as possible.
Altman revealed that OpenAI is working to initiate operations in Japan, with plans to return in a few months for increased collaboration.
