Japan Demands OpenAI Stop Using Manga Without Permission
▼ Summary
– Japan’s government has formally requested OpenAI to stop using Japanese artwork without permission, citing copyright infringement concerns.
– The request specifically targets OpenAI’s social video app Sora, which has been filled with questionable AI-generated content since its launch.
– Minoru Kiuchi, a Japanese minister overseeing intellectual property strategy, called Japanese artforms like manga and anime “irreplaceable treasures” while criticizing OpenAI.
– This follows backlash against OpenAI’s now-abandoned opt-out policy for copyright holders regarding Sora content.
– OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously acknowledged the company’s creative debt to Japan, noting its image generator produced Studio Ghibli-inspired content.
Japan has formally requested that OpenAI immediately cease its unauthorized use of Japanese manga and anime content, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing dispute over intellectual property rights. The government’s intervention follows mounting concerns about how artificial intelligence models are trained using copyrighted artistic works without proper permission.
According to reports from ITMedia and IGN, Japanese officials have directly confronted the American AI firm about these practices. Minoru Kiuchi, a key minister overseeing intellectual property strategy, recently criticized OpenAI for copyright violations. He emphasized that Japanese art forms represent irreplaceable cultural treasures that deserve protection from unauthorized commercial exploitation. The Cabinet Office has now submitted an official demand for the company to stop all infringing activities.
This development represents another challenge for OpenAI as it navigates growing international scrutiny over its handling of copyrighted material. The controversy intensified following the launch of Sora, the company’s social video application, which quickly became flooded with AI-generated content of questionable origin. The situation became particularly problematic after OpenAI abandoned its initial opt-out policy for copyright holders using the Sora platform.
Japanese artistic works have emerged as a particularly sensitive area in this broader copyright discussion. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has previously acknowledged his company’s substantial debt to Japanese creative output, noting the profound influence of Japanese art on AI development. The company’s image generation tools have previously produced massive quantities of content clearly inspired by iconic Japanese studios, including the beloved Studio Ghibli, without obtaining proper licensing agreements.
(Source: The Verge)
