Japan NTT and Yomiuri: "If AI is Neglected, Social Order Will Collapse"

Japan's leading media industry representatives, telecommunications company NTT and Yomiuri Shimbun, have warned of the collapse of social order due to artificial intelligence (AI) and called for regulatory measures, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 7th (local time).

In a declaration released on the 8th, NTT and Yomiuri Shimbun acknowledged the productivity improvements and potential benefits brought by generative AI but argued that "AI is designed to attract users' attention without presupposing morality or accuracy, thereby undermining human dignity."

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

They also stated, "If AI is not restrained, in the worst case, democracy and social order could collapse, leading to war," and emphasized that "Japan must take immediate countermeasures, such as laws to protect elections and national security from the abuse of generative AI."

As exemplary measures against AI abuse, they cited legal regulations in the European Union (EU) and the United States. Last month, the EU Parliament passed the world's first 'AI Act.' Through this, the collection of biometric information using AI within the region, as well as the datafication of individuals' characteristics and behaviors to assign social credit scores, known as 'social scoring,' were banned. Earlier, the Biden administration also introduced an executive order requiring safety tests for AI developers that could pose national security risks and mandated sharing the results with the U.S. government.

The WSJ highlighted that the public discussion on AI risks was led by some of the most influential companies in Japan's policy sphere. NTT, a privatized public corporation, still has one-third of its shares owned by the Japanese government, and Yomiuri Shimbun is Japan's leading media outlet boasting the world's largest circulation. The management of both companies has shown significant interest in AI, conducting research with Keio University researchers since last year to investigate the social impact of generative AI.

In particular, Yomiuri Shimbun has frequently expressed concerns about AI in its news pages and editorials. In an editorial from December last year, it mentioned new AI products emerging from American tech companies and criticized that "AI models could teach people how to make weapons or spread discriminatory mindsets." It also sounded an alarm by introducing deepfake videos that meticulously manipulated speeches of prominent politicians.

NTT, which entered the generative AI market last year by unveiling the large language model (LLM) 'Tsuzumi,' is reportedly investing heavily in research on low-cost AI models for corporate clients. An NTT spokesperson stated, "We believe generative AI can be used for valuable purposes," but emphasized, "If this technology is maliciously used for manipulating public opinion, the risks are very high."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.