Japan's AI Use Soars, a Quarter of Respondents Without Cautionary Steps

Young people use smart phones. A Japanese government survey recorded the highest use of generative AI in the younger age group. Photo illustration: Pexels.

TOKYO - The use of generative AI in Japan has almost doubled in a year. However, almost a quarter of respondents admitted not taking special precautions when using the technology.

Kyodo News, quoted on Friday, July 24, said the findings were included in a Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications white paper released on Friday.

As many as 58.8 percent of respondents in Japan admitted to using generative AI in fiscal year 2025. Around 30 percent even use it almost every day.

Generative AI is a technology that can create text, images, or other material based on user commands.

The age group of 15 to 19 years was included in the latest survey. The usage rate in this group reached 91.7 percent.

In the 20 to 29 age group, the figure was recorded at 78.2 percent. Meanwhile, in the 60 to 69 age group, the use rate dropped to 33.5 percent.

Even though the youngest age group has just been included, the use of generative AI among respondents aged 20 years and over still jumped to 52.2 percent.

The online survey was conducted in January and February in Japan, China, Germany, and the United States. In Japan, about 1,200 answers were declared valid.

Despite the sharp rise, Japan still lags behind the other three countries in the survey. The use rate of generative AI in China, Germany, and the United States has exceeded 70 percent.

Respondents in Japan most use AI to search for information, create documents, and ask for advice on everyday issues.

In the use of AI, as many as 38.2 percent of respondents admitted to using other ways to ensure that the information received was accurate. Meanwhile, 24.6 percent did not take special precautions.

The survey also found that the percentage of Japanese respondents considering intellectual property rights was lower than in the other three countries.

In a survey of Japanese companies, as many as 86.4 percent of respondents said they had used generative AI in business activities. That figure rose from 55.2 percent in the previous fiscal year.

The white paper assesses the use of AI in Japan continues to grow. The government also asks that the benefits of the technology continue to be considered together with the risks.

"Healthy cooperation between humans and AI needs to continue to be developed," the document said.