Regarding the story "Food and delivery services look to harness power of AI" in the Feb. 27 edition, the application of cutting-edge services powered by artificial intelligence into conventional, thus regressive, industries has a lot of potential for growth and prosperity.
Japan faces issues of economic decline and depopulation, pushing the need to maximize productivity through foreign labor, telecommuting, etc. In particular, Japanese craftsmanship, appreciated across the world, has been challenged by the lack of artisan successors and its sophisticated yet tedious procedures. While the sophistication and tradition should be preserved, craftsmen need to address the inevitable issues of population decline, which Japanese society at large encounters as well.
Preserving the traditional methodology of artisanship, masters will be able to maintain the sustainability of their craft.
The amalgamation of AI-powered technology and traditional products or services would not be a mutually exclusive solution. This paradigm shift has accelerated due to worries over the coronavirus, leaving people not wanting to be exposed to the public and at the same time demanding the economy to function. It is time for Japanese society to seriously address its productivity issues, simultaneously preserving traditions and maintaining the economy.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.