The Japanese government has declared its intention to channel public and private investments totaling over 370 trillion yen into 17 strategic sectors by the fiscal year 2040, with a specific allocation of 10.5 trillion yen dedicated to embodied AI (here, "physical AI" is translated as "embodied AI", which is a more commonly used term in the AI field, referring to AI that interacts with the physical world). Embodied AI pertains to intelligent systems that possess the capabilities to perceive their surroundings, make informed decisions, and carry out operations within the real world. This technology is anticipated to make significant contributions in domains such as industrial automation, helping to alleviate labor shortages. In tandem with these investments, Japan has also rolled out a fresh draft AI policy framework designed to bolster its capacity to manage and mitigate risks linked to high-performance AI systems.
