Artificial intelligence has fuelled a global race to build faster chips, larger data centres and more powerful computing systems, propelling companies like Nvidia into the spotlight. Yet some of the biggest beneficiaries of the AI revolution are businesses that few people would associate with cutting-edge technology.

A toilet maker, a glass fiber manufacturer and the maker of MSG have in Japan have become major beneficiaries of the AI boom.

Artificial intelligence has fuelled a global race to build faster chips, larger data centres and more powerful computing systems, propelling companies like Nvidia into the…