Despite being an advocate for greater artificial intelligence (AI) integration to address Japan’s labour shortages, Digital Transformation Minister Kono Taro was misidentified by ChatGPT, a product of OpenAI.
In a Bloomberg Television interview, Mr Kono revealed, “ChatGPT misidentified me when I asked about myself. It’s a reminder to proceed with caution.” He urged that his name be presented in the traditional Japanese order, with the surname preceding the given name.
This incident coincided with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s initiative to form a panel examining the economic advantages and potential risks of AI. As the 2023 chair of the Group of Seven (G7), Japan is poised to lead in the establishment of AI regulations.
The G7’s digital ministers have already sanctioned an action plan in April to foster “trustworthy AI”. In a similar vein, the European Union moved towards tighter control of AI tools, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, in May.
Despite these developments, Mr Kono maintained, “Robots pose no threat to Japan’s labour force,” referencing the country’s diminishing population. He shared that Japan is eager to experiment with new AI technologies, even discussing dataset creation with Microsoft Corp and other tech providers.
Kono also acknowledged the potential for bias in language processing, citing the smaller dataset size for minority languages compared to English. In related news, SoftBank Group Corp’s mobile unit has entered the global race to develop their version of ChatGPT, joining the ranks of American and Chinese companies.
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Since assuming his role in 2022, Mr Kono has been a crusader against outdated technology and red tape. He is striving to pass a Bill aimed at eliminating such requirements from over 10,000 laws and regulations.
The government’s ambitious plan to issue identity cards to all residents hit a roadblock recently when unrelated individuals were erroneously issued residence certificates, raising privacy concerns. Mr Kono believes the program will resume after thorough checks by Fujitsu Ltd, the system’s developer.
Kono, who narrowly lost the leadership race of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to Mr Kishida in 2021, is often considered a suitable candidate for prime minister in media polls.
Kono’s interaction with ChatGPT ended with the AI misidentifying him as the “prime minister of Japan”. This incident serves as a notable reminder of the opportunities and challenges in the field of AI.
This news is based on an article by The Straits Times.
