Harvard Business Review LogoJuly 13, 2026HBR Staff/AICompanies in both the U.S. and Japan are struggling to deploy AI, but often in very different ways. In the U.S., deployment is wide but shallow, meaning companies struggle to create real valueIn the global story of AI adoption, the United States appears to be the clear leader. Meanwhile, Japan, once a global powerhouse of technological innovation, appears to lag. The numbers seem to confirm it: recent research from McKinsey found that 88% of U.S. companies use AI in at least one business function, while comparable research from the Yano Research Institute last spring found just 26% of Japanese companies said the same. According to the Stanford AI Index 2025, the U.S. ranked first globally in private AI investment in 2024; Japan ranked 14.
U.S. and Japanese Companies Struggle with Different Parts of AI Adoption—and Offer Different Lessons for Making It Work
Companies in both the U.S. and Japan are struggling to deploy AI, but often in very different ways. In the U.S., deployment is wide but shallow, meaning companies struggle to create real value with AI. In Japan, deployment has moved slowly, but where it has happened, it’s often deep and fruitful. Understanding what’s happening in both contexts offers important lessons for companies trying to develop an AI strategy and demonstrate ROI on their AI investments.
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