Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 technology
Tuesday 21 January 2020

Google's chief executive Sundar Pichai addresses the audience
during an event on artificial intelligence at the Square in Brus-
sels, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020.
Associated Press
Google CEO calls

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a policy speech in Tokyo, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. for regulation of
Associated Press

Abe says new unit will defend artificial intelligence

Japan from space tech threats KELVIN CHAN giant with multibillion-dollar
fines for allegedly abus-
AP Business Writer
LONDON (AP) — Google's ing its market dominance
By MARI YAMAGUCHI than being on the ground. and North Korea. chief executive called to choke off competition.
TOKYO (AP) — Prime Min- Abe's Cabinet in Decem- Abe, in marking Sunday's Monday for a balanced After being reappointed
ister Shinzo Abe said Mon- ber approved 50.6 billion 60th anniversary of the approach to regulating for a second term last au-
day that Japan will form yen ($460 million) budget signing of Japan-U.S. secu- artificial intelligence, tell- tumn with expanded pow-
a space defense unit to in space-related projects, rity treaty, vowed to bol- ing a European audience ers over digital technology
protect itself from poten- pending parliamentary ap- ster Japan's capability and that the technology brings policies, Vestager has now
tial threats as rivals develop proval. cooperation with the U.S., benefits but also "negative set her sights on artificial in-
missiles and other technol- The unit will cooperate with including in the areas of consequences." telligence, and is drawing
ogy and the new unit will the U.S. Space Command space and cyber security. Sundar Pichai's comments up rules on its ethical use.
work closely with its Ameri- that Trump established in He said he is determined to come as lawmakers and Pichai's comments suggest
can counterpart recently August, as well as Japan's settle Japan's "unfortunate governments seriously the company may be hop-
launched by President space exploration agency, past" with North Korea, as consider putting limits on ing to head off a broad-
Donald Trump. Japan Aerospace Explora- he hopes to "sum up" his how artificial intelligence is based crackdown by the
The Space Domain Mission tion Agency. country's postwar legacies used. EU on the technology. Ve-
Unit will start in April as part Underscoring the need before his term expires next "There is no question in my stager and the EU have
of Japan's Air Self-Defense to step up cyber security, year. mind that artificial intelli- been the among the more
Force, Abe said in a policy Mitsubishi Electric Corp. re- He reiterated his intention gence needs to be regu- aggressive regulators of big
speech marking the start vealed Monday that it had to hold talks with North Ko- lated. tech firms, an approach
of the year's parliamentary suffered a cyber attack last rean leader Kim Jong Un The question is how best to U.S. authorities have picked
session. June that may have com- without the conditions he approach this," Pichai said, up with investigations into
He said Japan must also promised personal and had demanded in the past according to a transcript the dominance of compa-
defend itself from threats in corporate data involving — denuclearizing the Ko- of his speech at a Brussel- nies like Google, Facebook
cyberspace and from elec- thousands of its job appli- rean Peninsula and resolv- based think tank. and Amazon.
tromagnetic interference cants, employees and re- ing the decades-old issue He noted that there's an "Sensible regulation must
against Japanese satel- tirees. Mitsubishi said there of abductions of Japanese important role for govern- also take a proportionate
lites. Concerns are growing was no breach of sensitive citizens by North Korea. ments to play and that as approach, balancing po-
that China and Russia are data in the company's op- Part of Abe's plan while the European Union and tential harms with social
seeking ways to interfere, erations involving defense, in office is to achieve his the U.S. start drawing up opportunities," he said,
disable or destroy satellites. space, transportation, long-cherished goal of re- their own approaches to adding that it could incor-
"We will drastically bolster electric power and other vising Japan's U.S.-drafted regulation, "international porate existing standards
capability and system in or- businesses sectors. It prom- constitution that prohibits alignment" of any eventual like Europe's tough General
der to secure superiority" in ised to enhance security use of force in settling inter- rules will be critical. He did Data Protection Regulation
those areas, Abe said. measures and monitoring. national disputes. Despite not provide specific pro- rather than starting from
The space unit will be add- Abe has pushed for Ja- Abe's push, chances are posals. scratch.
ed to an existing air base at pan's Self-Defense Force fading for the revision due Pichai spoke on the same While it promises big ben-
Fuchu in the western sub- to expand its international to a lack of public interest day he was scheduled efits, he raised concerns
urbs of Tokyo, where about role and capability by bol- and the opposition's focus to meet the EU's power- about potential downsides
20 people will be staffed stering cooperation and on other controversial is- ful competition regulator, of artificial intelligence, cit-
ahead of a full launch in weapons compatibility with sues such as Japan's recent Margrethe Vestager. She's ing as one example its role
2022. The role of the space the U.S., as it increasingly dispatch of naval troops to also due to meet Microsoft in facial recognition tech-
unit is to conduct satellite- works alongside American Middle East and question- President Brad Smith sepa- nology, which can be used
based navigation and troops and as it grows con- able public record-keep- rately on Monday. to find missing people but
communications for other cerned about the increas- ing at Abe's annual cherry Vestager has in previous also for "nefarious reasons"
troops in the field, rather ing capabilities of China blossom-viewing parties. q years hit the Silicon Valley which he didn't specify. q