United Kingdom, Aug. 13 -- Japan is struggling to turn its enthusiasm for artificial intelligence into widespread workplace use - despite an ageing population, severe labour shortages and longstanding pressure to improve productivity.

The country has identified AI as one potential answer to those problems and its government wants Japan to become a global leader in developing and using the technology.

Yet an OECD report published in November found only 8.4 per cent of Japanese employees said they used AI at work, while 6.4 per cent used generative AI - figures that highlight the gap between national ambitions and everyday adoption.

Austin Xu, co-founder of US start-up Kuse AI, which has established an operation in Japan, told the BBC: "...