Societal well-being and human-centered AI insights from the Japanese private sector

This paper explores how the concept of Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI) is adopted by major Japanese corporations. Through a content analysis of the AI guidelines from Sumitomo, Mitsubishi and Sony, the study investigates how these companies refer to HCAI and society’s well-being. The findings reveal that while HCAI is generally framed in positive terms - focused on supporting human life, culture, and innovation - there is little clarity on what ‘society’ means or how well-being is defined. This ambiguity raises concerns about symbolic adoption or “pinkwashing”. Additionally, a distinction was made between HCAI (focused on benefits) and Responsible AI (focused on risks). The paper calls for further research to clarify the role of society within HCAI and to assess whether HCAI contributes to reducing AI-related incidents. These reflections aim to open a discussion about how companies concretely implement HCAI in a way that goes beyond discourse.