Move slow and make things: What Japanese craftsmanship can teach business about quality, patience, and expertise when AI makes speed cheap
Fortune David Schonthal
Opinion — commentary, not a factual news event.
The article argues that AI makes speed less valuable and pushes businesses to adopt Japanese shokunin-style quality, patience, and deep expertise instead of blitzscaling. It points to a 2025 Tokyo Stock Exchange debut for Human Made with a valuation of roughly $460 million as evidence customers pay for the human touch. As a result, the recommended change is to use AI to improve craftsmanship and reinvention while keeping key advantages close rather than outsourcing or rushing production.
Why it matters
AI makes it easier to produce more. The Japanese craft tradition of shokunin offers a guide to making something better.
