On Saturday, February 7, 2026, we held "Digital Junior Manabiday 2026 — AI Today and Our Future" at Omoridai Third Junior High School, organized by the school's PTA and the Ota City School Management Council. Returning for its second year following the inaugural event in March 2025, this edition welcomed over 50 students, parents, and community members — filling the school cafeteria with energy and excitement.
Program: From Live AI Demos to a Vision of the Future
As a software engineer with over 25 years of experience and vice chair of the school PTA, I spoke from the perspective of someone who works with AI every day — covering the latest developments in AI and what they mean for children's futures.
- Live AI Demos — showcasing the latest AI tools on screen in real time
- What the AI Era Will Bring — changes in society, work, and the concept of the Singularity
- The Future Beyond AI — a message directly to the students
- AI Bingo Game — the signature prize showdown everyone looks forward to!
"Did AI Really Make That?" — The Live Demo That Stunned the Room
The first segment featured a rapid-fire showcase of today's most impressive AI tools, demonstrated live.
Canva generated a polished poster from a simple text prompt. SUNO produced a full original track just from the instruction "make a song for the Omoridai Third Junior High School basketball club." And when Claude was asked in plain language to "build a Mario-style game," a working game appeared on screen in moments. The room erupted with gasps — "Did AI actually make that?"
How Will AI Change Our Future?
The second half turned to a serious question: what will actually happen in the AI era? Urushidani shared data showing that AI already scores 97% on Japan's national university entrance exam and 96.5% on the bar exam. He explained the concept of the Singularity — the point at which AI surpasses human intelligence — and why many experts predict it could arrive as early as 2026–2029. He also addressed the reality that many jobs will be transformed or replaced by AI. I tried to address these difficult topics as directly as I could, with some humor along the way — and students and parents alike listened with focused, earnest expressions.
Even so, I genuinely believe the future is not bleak. Japan's national character — diligent, cooperative, resilient — combined with AI will bring "an extraordinarily bright future." If that message of optimism resonated warmly with everyone in the room, I couldn't be happier.
- Master AI tools (including computers)
- Work harder than anyone else
- Be a good person
- Find what you love — and go for it
AI Bingo Brings the House Down!
To close the event, we played the AI Bingo game that has become a beloved tradition since last year. Prizes included wireless headphones, wireless earbuds, and instant noodle gift sets — and when the winning numbers hit, children cheered at the top of their lungs. The whole room came together for a perfect finale.
The fact that this event drew such a crowd for the second year running reflects how deeply curious our community is about AI and digital technology. Digital Kodomo BASE will continue working hand-in-hand with schools and PTAs to create opportunities for children to joyfully build the skills they need to thrive in an AI-powered world.
Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Omoridai Third Junior High School PTA and the Ota City School Management Council for their tremendous support in making this event possible. It is only through your generosity and cooperation that we were able to bring this day to life. Thank you so very much.
Digital Kodomo BASE events continue throughout the year.
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