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On October 18, 2026, Matt Alt and David Schonthal put forward the view that companies should learn from the Japanese spirit of craftsmanship, using depth, taste, and patience to build competitive advantage at a time when AI makes speed cheap. The related article points out that AI has made generating strategies, code, and creative works free, thereby filling in the moats built on blitzscaling; citing Shimano, founded in 1921 and focused for a century on only bicycles and fishing tackle, the article argues that companies should, like Japanese "shokunin" (craftspeople), choose depth over breadth and first think clearly about "what must never be automated." The authors believe that AI raises the lower bound, while craftsman thinking raises the upper bound. At present, this view is reported by a single source, and there are no subsequent factual developments.
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Slowing Down to Make Things: After AI Makes Speed Cheap, What Can Japanese Craftsmanship Teach Companies?Developments
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Oct 18
Fortune AI
Slowing Down to Make Things: After AI Makes Speed Cheap, What Can Japanese Craftsmanship Teach Companies?
AI has made the speed of generating strategy, code, and creative work essentially free, filling in the moats built on blitzscaling. Citing Shimano—founded in 1921 and focused for a century on only bicycles and fishing tackle—the article argues that companies should choose depth over breadth like the Japanese "shokunin" (artisans), and first figure out "what must never be automated." The author believes AI raises the floor, while craftsmanship thinking raises the ceiling.