Japan’s Digital Agency has started a trial of an artificial intelligence app that helps government officials draft answers to questions from lawmakers. The app is designed for use during sessions of the Diet, Japan’s parliament.
The tool runs on Gennai, the agency’s generative AI platform. About 180,000 government workers have access to the platform.
The agency plans to test the app during the current Diet session. It aims to put the app into full use starting with next year’s ordinary Diet session.
How the App Works
When an official enters a lawmaker’s question, the AI organizes and analyzes its main points. It then produces several draft answers within minutes.
The drafts are based on past government answers and on minutes from Diet debates. This lets the app draw on records of how similar questions were handled before.
The app also helps officials understand the intent behind a question ahead of time. This is meant to help them prepare before parliamentary sessions begin.
Different writing styles are built into the tool. A “policy explanation” mode is meant to make the direction of a policy clear.
A “political judgment” mode is designed to reflect political considerations in the answer. Officials can choose the mode that fits their purpose.
Officials can edit the draft answers directly inside the app. The tool can also predict follow-up questions lawmakers might ask.
Officials Stay in Charge
The Digital Agency stressed that the AI will not make decisions. Government officials will remain responsible for clarifying policy decisions and organizing the government’s views.
Officials will also be the ones who finalize each answer. The agency said decision-making will not be left to AI.
The current trial will be used to judge how well the app works in real parliamentary work. The agency will evaluate its effectiveness before moving to full-scale operation.
Digital transformation minister Toshiharu Furukawa spoke about the app at a news conference on Friday. He said it can help improve how officials work.
“It’s very good that we can improve our work efficiency and create answers that contribute to deeper Diet deliberations,” Furukawa said.
He added that he would also like to hear feedback from other ministers about the app.
