Panasonic brings its founder back to life as an AI

Digital clone of Kōnosuke Matsushita to dispense management advice to new generation

Japanese multinational electronics mainstay Panasonic – founded in 1918 as Matsushita Electric Housewares Manufacturing Works –has created an AI version of its long deceased founder, Kōnosuke Matsushita.

Matsushita died in 1989, and Panasonic explained that the number of people he personally trained is falling, making the AI necessary.

"We believe it is important for our employees to correctly understand the management philosophy of our founder, Kōnosuke Matsushita, on which our Basic Management Policy is based, and to pass it on through the ages," declared the manufacturing giant.

The AI was trained on 3000 recordings featuring Matsushita, plus his writings, lectures, and interviews that were digitized by Panasonic's Peace and Happiness through Prosperity (PHP) Institute – a think tank and educational org founded Matsushita.

Panasonic collaborated with the University of Tokyo-affiliated Matsuo Institute to develop an AI character which imitates Matsushita's thinking and speaking style.

It hopes to do the same for Matsushita's direct contacts and researchers as well – so that it can help users solve management decisions based on what the founder may have thought or felt about a situation.

"The development of generative AI technology provides a new approach to the verification of traditional research questions, and we hope that it will enable us to take on previously impossible interdisciplinary research using innovative methods," explained Panasonic.

Matsushita achieved iconic status in Japan. He's often referred to as the "god of management" and is revered for his leadership philosophy and role in transforming the business he founded – which started out selling lamps - into a global powerhouse.

He authored over 40 books, some which remain popular despite their age. One of his works, 1968's The Path is on many Japanese professional must-read lists and focuses on individual success and self improvement, while Not for Bread Alone focuses on the societal role of business.

Reviving its founder won't mean Panasonic is seen creepy in Japan, where reverence for forebears remains the norm. The project also boosts Panasonic's AI experience and credentials. The company has recently focused on EV batteries, hydrogen energy, workplace digitalization and supply chain software.

Like most tech businesses it’s invested in AI related projects. This summer it released a generative AI model called ContextFlow++ that it thinks shows promise in roles including image classification, predictive maintenance and unsupervised anomaly detection. ®