Japanese party names AI as new leader

The decision was made public at a press conference in Tokyo on September 16. Mitsutaka Okumura, a 25-year-old graduate student at Kyoto University specializing in AI research, was formally named party head but immediately delegated leadership functions to the technology.

“I am the assistant leader, and the AI will act as the new leader,” Okumura stated, according to NHK News. He explained that the AI would not determine the personal political positions of party members but would instead focus on organizational decisions such as distributing resources.

The Path to Rebirth party was established in January 2024 by former mayor Shinji Ishimaru. It gained national attention when Ishimaru placed second in the 2024 Tokyo gubernatorial election thanks to a dynamic online campaign. However, the party failed to secure seats in the Tokyo assembly elections in June or in the Upper House elections in July, prompting Ishimaru’s resignation.

Party representatives noted that details of how the AI will function, including its specific authority and mechanisms of implementation, are still under consideration.

“Artificial intelligence will be responsible for the actual decision-making of the party in the future,” Okumura said.

Earlier, it was reported that Iran had introduced its first AI-powered legal robot during a presentation attended by judicial officials and members of the legal community. The system is intended to assist the public by offering accurate legal guidance.