Mr. Mizuno Misao, having just published “New Work Rules for Surviving in the Age of AI” on November 2017, kindly spoke with us about this era’s working styles, marketing, and the progress of technology going forward.
Mr. Mizuno is a marketer, consultant, writer, proprietor, a man of many faces, and, for even his career, there are many hints about the future of working styles.

Profile: Mr. Mizuno Misao 

Born 1967 in Tokyo.
Nikola Design and Technologies, Inc., Representative Director

After completing his master’s course in Aviation Engineering at an American college, Mr. Mizuno returned to his home country of Japan and he mainly engaging in manufacturing industry-related work in foreign software companies and consulting firms. Besides handling consulting at large automobile and consumer electronics manufacturing companies and focusing on non-linear construction analysis, 3D CAD, PDM (product data management), etc., he also managed enterprise development-related work such as sales, product marketing, and business development. 

In 2004, he helped launched Nikola Design and Technologies, Inc. and was inaugurated as the Representative Director. Presently, he is engaged in the promotion of the company’s original brand products and its development, marketing, and IT consulting work. 

From there, he began writing as a profession from around 2004, focusing on specialized magazines and web media. His main literary works include “Understanding 3D CAD Design—Choices, Uses, and Deriving Merits” (The Daily Industrial News), “Introduction to Beginning Manufacturing At-Home – How to Begin a New At-Home Manufacturing Industry by Using 3D Printers and Autodesk 123D Design” (SB Creative), “3D Printers – Revolution Manufacturing / Business Transformation!” (JAM HOUSE), “50 Jobs That Will Disappear in 20 Years” (Seishun Publishing).  

Mr. Mizuno’s Multi-Career Creation

od thing, however, the aviation and defense industry’s military stores were diminished and depleted in one breath. Jobs in the aviation industry were scarce for my classmates and me. There were several cases of people who continued onto the automobile industry and from there changed jobs into the aviation industry. 

As for me, I returned to Japan and went job hunting. I applied to several aviation-related manufacturers and trading companies and finally found employment at MARC Analysis Research Corporation (now MSC Software), a vendor for a non-linear construction analysis tool that is used in various industry fields such as aviation, space, and automobile. 

Hamaguchi:     Which meant that from there your long association with manufacturing IT began.

Mizuno:     I reason I entered the company was because I had written about non-linear programs for my Master’s thesis. It was an interesting job. After that, when I wanted a job that was closer to my actual place, I transitioned to the SDRC (now Siemens) engineering service department that worked on 3D CAD and PLM, and had the privilege of working for a large Japanese-American automobile company. Thereafter, when I wanted a job in the upper ranks this time, I changed jobs to work in a consulting film (Cap Gemini Ernst & Young), engaging in work process reformation and PLM system renovation for clients. 

Hamaguchi:     After experiencing the upper ranks from where you were, you entered the marketing department for a manufacturing CAD vendor. 

Mizuno:     Yes, as if I was pulled by gravity, I returned to work at a tool vendor. 

Hamaguchi:     How old were you when you had your sights on aviation? 

Mizuno:     I was fascinated with the sky when I was a child. I had written “I want to become a pilot” in my kindergarten anthology book. Then, when I was a 1st grader in elementary school, Space Battleship Yamato, Mobile Suit Gundam, Star Wars, Top Gun, etc. – works of fiction related to the sky or universe – began to come out one after the another and my interest grew more and more. Also, because my dad had been employed at a trading firm, I looked at overseas work and thought it was interesting, and was influenced by that. When speaking of aviation, naturally, you think America. So, I went to America. 

Hamaguchi:     Full speed for a childhood dream! 

Mizuno:     My dreams came true all right. I even got my pilot’s license. But if I had kept going on a different path after looking for work, I’m not sure how my life would have turned out.

“A recommended curry is something I’ll try.”

Marketing and AI

Hamaguchi:     In your book, you have written about working styles in the age of AI in different industries. 

Mizuno:     I defined AI by separating it into two categories. One is “Strong AI.” In science fiction, just by looking at it you don’t know whether it’s human or machine, and it has the same or higher capabilities than a human; it’s an all-purpose AI. It surpasses human beings and if this AI comes about, people’s jobs will seem to disappear. On the other hand, “Weak AI” is called a specialized-type AI. AlphaGo can make a top professional shogi Go player lose, but it cannot cook or drive. We should think about the working style of “Weak AI” and “specialized-type AI” going forward. 

Hamaguchi:     The question is how do we manage specialized-type AI? Even in the marketing field things are changing due to AI utilization. 

Mizuno:     It would be great for entirely computer-only work and AI to have an affinity. Digital marketing can be completed by an AI, even when there are few efficient workers. An AI can analyze, predict, suggest, etc. so, depending on the situation, if there is an AI then even a one-man company is perhaps feasible. However, for systems-derived results where one must critically think and use one’s own judgement, specialized knowledge is a necessity. I believe those marketing jobs where people hold that kind of responsibility will remain. 

Hamaguchi:     I define marketing as “management’s best feature.” To put it into other words, it is “specifically hypothesizing the potential customer of this company’s service or product and creating a picture of a deeply moving scene that pops out every time the customer uses this company’s service or product.” In this way, humans are the only ones who can do this. 

Mizuno:     Meaning marketers will master AI as a tool and make it an essential part of their marketing jobs. 

Hamaguchi:     Right, they concentrate on “creating a picture” of the company’s story and a bit of its future shape. AI is progressing now, and the knowledge and power of how to master that is rapidly being desired. However, I think once we can master it, marketing can be more well-leveraged, and we will come closer to an even better future. 

2019: Imagined 35 Years Ago Was your prediction of the progress of technology completely different? 

Hamaguchi:     What one could predict about technology like AI, its evolution, and life in the future and what is true now is completely different. Recently, I looked back at the movie “Blade Runner” that was released in 1982, and that story was set in 2019. What was overwhelming different than predicted were flying cars and communication. In 2019, they were still using pay phones (they could have at least made calls on a watch). Reality is overwhelmingly advancing more than the world of sci-fi.  
Mizuno:     The “space colony” advocated by Gerald K. O’Neill, an American physicist and pioneer in space development, was also like that. When I was a Jr. high school student, a book titled 2081 had been published. It talked about a protagonist who was living in a solar system space colony returning home to Earth, and about what kind of technology there would be in the world of 2081, but just like the movie, this was also an extreme concept. In regard to aerospace technology, I thought it was almost impossible, but on the other hand I had the impression that communications would definitely be advanced from 2081. 

Hamaguchi:     I suppose that technology will advance by fitting to the physiological needs of humans, or rather, from the feeling of happiness. 

Mizuno:     The physical part won’t progress the way humans think. For example, plans for extreme supersonic speed machines come out and then disappear, or space stations are finally made a reality but what do we do from now? On the other hand, starting with the internet, IT-related things have continued with astonishing speed. 

Hamaguchi:     The evolution of the internet and communication was due to people’s desire for and strong feelings for communication with other people. In Mr. Tezuka Osamu’s “Phoenix,” love with an AI had been depicted, and you felt that the technology appealing to this person’s desires and sentiments looked like it could be made a reality in the future. 

Hamaguchi:     It’s written in your book as well, but within this changing world where AI is progressing we also must think of our future work styles. I think that having a variety of knowledge and experience like you seems to be one answer. 

Mizuno:     Having an interest is important, isn’t it? No matter how old one gets, life is most interesting when one is full of curiosity. I think that if you have interest, your vigorous knowledge and experience will continue to increase. 

Hamaguchi:     When you have interest, you go and try things. It’s important to treasure that go-getter attitude. 

Mizuno:     I had a conversation with a friend the other day, and the topic came to “only people who make jobs and those who carry out jobs exist in this world.” I think that “the people who create jobs” are the ones who choose the method of carrying out jobs. Up until now, the selections have been only people. However, nowadays, we choose the best things from selections by AI and tools. The “people who create jobs” are no longer just founders, but various layers deep. Not just those with a strong spirit, but really people who create and take action. It would be nice to aim to become that kind of person. 

Hamaguchi:     That kind of person won’t be replaced by an AI. 

Mizuno:     The jobs that only humans are able to do are jobs that “accurately master a tool like AI, offer judgement, and give meaningful correspondence towards the responsible and concerned parties in business. Moreover, thinks about what the essence of that job is,” isn’t it? 

Hamaguchi:     It’s necessary to master AI well and allow us, as humans, for our work styles and thinking styles to progress. Now those people who are actively engaged in diverse working style are increasing all around us. 

Mizuno:     Making way for new working styles and new methods. “Eating recommended curry” will probably be the catalyst to create our own personal way of doing things.