Tokyo: Japan ranked the lowest among six countries in a private-sector survey of companies regarding their use of generative intelligence, with only 9 percent indicating the technology had exceeded their expectations. According to Nam News Network, the survey released by PwC Japan Group, which includes consulting firms, showed that Japan had the lowest rate when compared to Britain, China, Germany, South Korea, and the United States. Despite a trend among Japanese companies towards introducing AI to streamline operations, such as summarizing meeting minutes, the enthusiasm for AI's potential remains limited. In contrast, the United States led the survey, with 38 percent of respondents stating AI performance was "well above expectations," followed by Britain at 32 percent. China's corresponding figure was 18 percent, while Germany's was 17 percent, and South Korea's was 11 percent. A total of around 3,000 individuals participated in the survey conducted between February and March, encompassing employees fro m companies with sales of 50 billion yen (US$310 million) or more. The respondents were primarily in managerial-level positions, including those authorized to consider or make decisions on introducing generative AI. While 47 percent of respondents from Japan reported AI performance was in line with expectations, the corresponding figure for other countries ranged between 43 and 58 percent. In both the United States and Britain, over 70 percent of those promoting AI usage said it had generated benefits translating into returns for customers and employees, compared to 40 percent in Japan, marking the lowest among the six. AI use in Japan was primarily focused on tasks such as submitting reports and sending emails, with less emphasis on creating videos, audio, and program codes, according to the survey. "It's important to consider whether introducing AI aligns with a company's goals and vision," said Shimpei Miyoshi, an executive officer of PwC Consulting LLC.