Japanese Minister Acknowledges Use of AI for Preparing Official Responses

In Japan, generative artificial intelligence was officially used for the first time to prepare a government response in parliament. Digital Minister Naoki Matsumoto announced this during a session of the Upper House on May 27.

The platform in question is 'GennAI,' which has been undergoing testing across all Japanese government agencies since May. The system generates document drafts and responses based on officials' requests. As the minister explained, in this case, AI produced an initial draft of the response to a question from Sanseitō Party lawmaker Mizuho Umemura regarding the use of technology in the public sector. Staff then fact-checked the content, and the minister approved the final version.

The use of AI in government administration sparks debates about balancing efficiency and accountability. Japan’s approach ensures human oversight at key decision-making stages, differing from fully automated processes. Testing of 'GennAI' will continue until March 2025, after which a decision on further implementation will be made.