AI experts discussed changes and issues surrounding artificial intelligence at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026. The event brought together innovative startups from Japan and abroad at Tokyo Big Sight. The Tokyo metropolitan government organized this major global innovation conference. Specifically, about 770 startups from Japan and overseas attended the gathering.
Masaru Sakamoto from Benhamou Global Ventures moderated a session titled The Next Phase of AI. Howard Wright, vice president of Nvidia’s startup ecosystem, addressed job loss fears during that session. He stated that AI itself will not take people’s jobs. Instead, coworkers who understand, recognize, operate and leverage AI will likely take those jobs. Consequently, AI experts discussed the importance of accepting and utilizing this fourth industrial revolution.
Eric Benhamou, founder of Benhamou Global Ventures, cited recent study results on public perceptions of AI. He noted that Japanese people responded more positively than Americans. Japanese people feel more excited about the AI future than fearful, he explained. This positive reaction benefits Japan greatly for scaled AI deployment. People need to trust that AI will do good things for them. Thus, AI experts discussed trust as a critical factor for adoption.
Rob Chu, vice president of Amazon Web Services APJC, highlighted Japan’s unique position in AI development. He said Japan will become an innovator because of its strong industrial base. A leading AI player in Japan will likely emerge from the industrial sector. Accordingly, AI experts discussed the country’s potential to lead in industrial AI applications.
The conference also covered robotics, resilience, and entertainment alongside AI. SusHi Tech Tokyo will open to the public on Wednesday. Children and people outside the business world can attend. Attendees will experience cutting edge technologies like quadcopter drones. They can also interact with various types of robots. The event provides a glimpse into Japan’s tech driven future. Public engagement will help build trust and excitement around AI. Overall, the discussions emphasized collaboration, trust, and industrial innovation.
