Artificial intelligenceJapanese, German firms lag in digital tech, but maintain hardware expertiseRobot maker Fanuc has partnered with U.S. chipmaker Nvidia to outfit its machines with AI. (Photo by Miki Hiasa)MIKI HIASA and EISAKU NITTAApril 28, 2026 21:35 JSTHANOVER, Germany -- Manufacturers in Japan and Germany are stepping up the adoption of physical artificial intelligence, leveraging their real-world shop-floor data to boost production speed and precision.