Japan to Revise AI Strategy in Six Months: Penalties for Developing 'High-Risk' AI

The Japanese government is set to overhaul its national policy guidelines to address security threats posed by high-performance artificial intelligence (AI) and boost the competitiveness of its related industries.

According to reports from the Yomiuri Shimbun and other media on June 19, the Japanese government has drafted an "AI Basic Plan Revision" featuring these core measures. It plans to finalize the plan at a Cabinet meeting next month following a public comment period.

This rapid revision comes just over six months after the initial basic plan was established in December of last year, reflecting the need to keep pace with the lightning-fast advancements in AI capabilities.

The revision focuses on mitigating cybersecurity risks emerging from high-performance AI, such as the latest U.S. model "Claude Mythos," which is capable of autonomously identifying system vulnerabilities.

The government intends to significantly expand the capabilities of the AI Safety Institute, an organization dedicated to safety assessments, and strengthen cooperation with foreign governments and global developers to verify the latest domestic and international models.

In particular, the government will begin full-scale discussions on enacting new legislation that would allow for the imposition of penalties on developers of high-risk AI, moving beyond the limitations of current laws that only permit fact-finding investigations or guidance.

The plan also includes the development of deepfake detection technology and the strengthening of defense capabilities led by the National Police Agency, alongside software-based measures to foster industry growth while preventing social side effects.

The Japanese government has previously announced its intention to provide strong support for the early commercialization of "autonomous AI"—systems that operate without detailed human instructions—viewing it as directly linked to national power.

On the other hand, the plan also includes measures to reorganize educational environments to prevent the decline of human critical thinking and judgment skills caused by over-reliance on AI.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.