Daiwa Securities Group employees are widely using an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot in Japan as the nation’s second-largest brokerage follows global banks in exploring the potential of rapidly evolving technologies.

Chief Executive Officer Seiji Nakata said the Tokyo-based firm started an experiment in April that gave around 9,000 workers in Japan the go-ahead to "freely use” ChatGPT. Daiwa has also been strengthening the recruitment of science graduates to develop high-tech experts in house, he said in an interview.

The move comes as an AI revolution unfolds on Wall Street in response to widening interest in the technology and its likely business impact. Deutsche Bank is using it to scan wealthy client portfolios, while JPMorgan Chase & Co. is advertising for more AI roles than any of its rivals.