There's a sense of panic within Japan Inc. and the government — the world's No. 3 economy, doesn't have enough experts in artificial intelligence, and it's time to do something about it.
SoftBank Group Corp. CEO Masayoshi Son last month bemoaned the state of play, calling Japan a 'developing country' in the most important current technology revolution.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in June unveiled a plan to train 250,000 people in AI skills annually by 2025, albeit one criticized as unrealistic due to a shortage of teachers. Tech heavyweights like Sony Corp. are hiking pay for the right hires and boosting recruitment of foreign engineers.