2023 SVJP ANNUAL RETREAT

The 2023 Silicon Valley Japan Platform Annual Retreat was one of two big events held that year. With the release of ChatGPT at the end of 2022, a boom in consumer awareness of AI was set off. SVJP corporate members gathered together in Half Moon Bay on September 14-17 to learn about large language models, how they work, use cases across varying verticals, and where this technology is headed in the future.

The Annual Retreat began with an AI tutorial session to cover the basics before diving into more complex topics ranging from how enterprises are using AI to transform their businesses, the best practices needed to explore new frontiers of innovation, the implications and lessons for Japan’s development of AI-driven software, and the risk factors associated with these advanced models.

The final evening was spent acknowledging and celebrating the incredible contributions of SVJP’s founding Co-Chairs, Dan Okimoto and James Kondo, who successfully led the organization since its inception in 2015. Their vision, dedication, and leadership were instrumental in shaping the SVJP’s mission and guiding the platform’s growth and impact. Words of appreciation were shared by key members of the SVJP community such as Former U.S. Senator and SVJP Advisor, Bill Bradley; Kohei Itoh, President of Keio University; Takayuki Morita, CEO of NEC Corporation; and John Roos, Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan and SVJP Advisor.

As Dan Okimoto and James Kondo transition to their new roles as Co-Chair Emeriti, the SVJP welcomed their new Co-chairs, Saima Hasan and Naoaki Mashita, as they take on the mantle of leadership during this exciting new chapter for the Silicon Valley Japan Platform.