US and Japan Forge AI Research Alliance with Tech Giants, Signaling Strategic Partnership

President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have teamed up with Amazon.com Inc. and Nvidia Corp. to finance a new collaborative artificial intelligence research initiative, aiming to enhance cooperation in this rapidly evolving field. The project, valued at $50 million, will be jointly executed by the University of Washington in Seattle and Tsukuba University near Tokyo, as disclosed by a senior US official briefing reporters ahead of Wednesday’s official White House meeting. Additionally, the two nations are coordinating a separate AI research venture connecting Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with Keio University in Tokyo.

This initiative for expanded AI research coincides with the Biden administration’s consideration of new regulations intended to mitigate the risks associated with AI technology, which has become a focal point for tech companies. Last month, the White House announced a deadline for federal agencies to establish protocols for evaluating, testing, and monitoring the impact of AI technology used by the government.

These university-led efforts complement Microsoft Corp.’s recent $2.9 billion investment aimed at strengthening the company’s AI and cloud computing infrastructure in Japan. Following a meeting between Kishida and Microsoft President Brad Smith on Tuesday, Microsoft revealed plans to establish a new AI and robotics-focused laboratory in Japan.

During his visit to Washington, Kishida encouraged American business leaders to increase their investments in emerging technologies within Japan, the second-largest economy in Asia. Kishida highlighted the potential for such investments to stimulate Japan’s economic growth, consequently facilitating increased investments from Japan into the United States.