The integration of sensors, the unification of standards, and data sharing have allowed companies in the United States and China to advance rapidly in the field of physical artificial intelligence (AI), while Japan faces structural challenges that could lead to what its own government calls a "digital defeat." Collaborative robotics, meaning robots capable of interacting in everyday environments, represents an attractive solution for Japan, a country facing a prolonged demographic crisis and maintaining restrictive immigration policies. Japanese society shows a cultural affinity for technology and robots, reflected in iconic characters like Doraemon, the future feline robot, or pioneering products like Aibo, Sony's robot dog launched in 1999, and Asimo, the autonomous humanoid introduced by Honda in 2000. Japan has been a global leader in industrial robot manufacturing, accounting for up to 38% of global production as of 2023, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). In 2024, over 435,000 industrial robots were operating in Japanese factories in sectors such as automotive, metallurgy, and electronics, noted for their precision and reliability thanks to advanced components like gear reducers and high-performance servomotors. However, the transition from industrial robotics to physical AI, capable of operating in unstructured environments, presents significant challenges. Training autonomous systems to act in diverse situations requires coordination, investment, and overcoming cultural and regulatory barriers. The Japanese government itself acknowledges that the business culture, focused on data protection, is one of the main obstacles to the development of physical AI. A recent report from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) highlights the resistance of Japanese companies to share data and the lack of standardization and digitization in industrial processes. This situation hinders the generation of the large volumes of real data that physical AI demands. The report warns that the lack of digital competitiveness is reflected in the balance of payments, with Japan paying more for foreign digital services than it receives, estimating that the "hidden digital deficit" could reach €250 billion by 2035 if the trend is not reversed. METI urges companies, investors, and policymakers to act in a coordinated manner to avoid a "digital defeat." Firstlight Capital, an investment firm focused on Japan's demographic challenge, agrees on the need to learn from past experiences, warning that Japan risks inventing key technologies but losing global dominance in their application, as has happened in other sectors. The report emphasizes that while Japan could see robots caring for its elderly with domestic hardware, the software could be imported. In contrast, the United States and China benefit from ecosystems that facilitate the massive generation and circulation of data, thus driving the development of physical AI. (Source: elpais.com)