Small Japanese political party lets AI guide way

​​​​​​​By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Path to Rebirth political party announced Tuesday that it will use artificial intelligence (AI) to make leadership decisions.

Shinji Ishimaru, who founded the small party in January, stepped down as leader Tuesday after it underperformed in the recent elections, and announced his successor as Mitsutaka Okumura, 25, during a news conference, according to the NHK broadcaster.

Okumura said AI will be the new leader of the party while he serves as assistant.

Details about AI's usage are still being finalized, including when and how it will be implemented, he said.

Okumura is a graduate student of Kyoto University, and is researching AI.

The party failed to get any candidate elected in the upper house election in July or in the June assembly election in Tokyo.