IPA IP 2024 Question 28

Topic: Business Industry

A question IPA Japan published in 令和6年度 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問28, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.

Among the following case examples, which of the following lists all and only those in which the work efficiency of business operations was improved by introducing AI?

ACompany A, a specialized food trading company, reduced the time for clerical work by automatically reading the characters written on handwritten invoices whose format differs for each business partner, and converting them into data.BCompany B, a textile manufacturing company, introduced a tool that automates the routine PC operations for ordering raw materials from business partners, and reduced the staff of the administrative department.CCompany C, a non-life insurance company, shortened the time that operators spend handling inquiries to its call center by having a voice chatbot ask about the inquiries before they are connected to an operator.DCompany D, a logistics company, reduced misdeliveries by attaching an electronic tag to each package to be delivered, writing the delivery destination to the electronic tag at the time of shipment, and checking it at the time of delivery.

Explanation

A and C — reading varied handwriting and holding a spoken conversation both need AI that recognises patterns it has learned, not fixed rules.

  • •A: handwritten invoices whose layout differs for each business partner cannot be read by fixed positions. AI-OCR, trained by machine learning, recognises the handwriting and items on varied forms. AI.
  • •B: a tool that repeats routine PC operations, such as placing orders for raw materials, by fixed steps is RPA. It follows the rules it is given and does not learn or judge, so it is automation, not AI.
  • •C: a voice chatbot recognises the caller's speech, understands what is asked and replies in natural language before the operator takes over. Speech recognition and natural language processing are AI. AI.
  • •D: writing the destination to an electronic tag (RFID) and checking it on delivery is automatic identification by radio, not AI.

Answer (a)

Why not others:

  • •(b) B, C — counts the RPA tool in B as AI, though it only replays fixed PC operations, and leaves out the AI-OCR in A
  • •(c) B, D — counts both non-AI cases, RPA and electronic tags, and neither AI case
  • •(d) C, D — counts the electronic tags in D as AI, though they only store and read data, and leaves out A

Key rule: AI is at work where the system recognises, understands or judges from learned patterns (handwriting, speech, language); fixed-rule automation (RPA) and data carriers (RFID, barcodes) are not AI.

Business Industry · AI-written, may contain errors

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This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.