A major coalition of Japanese entertainment companies, including Studio Ghibli, Bandai Namco, and Square Enix, has called on OpenAI to stop using their copyrighted materials to train its artificial intelligence model Sora 2, according to a statement released by the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA).
CODA, which represents some of Japan’s most prominent intellectual property holders, issued a formal letter to OpenAI last week claiming that the company’s AI training process may have violated Japan’s copyright laws. The organization argued that “the act of replication during the machine learning process may constitute copyright infringement,” particularly since the AI system was found generating images and videos containing recognizable Japanese characters and art styles.
The controversy emerged shortly after the launch of Sora 2 on September 30, which led to a surge of AI-generated visuals resembling popular Japanese anime and game franchises. The Japanese government has since requested OpenAI to halt the replication of local creative works, emphasizing the need to protect national cultural assets.
This is not the first instance of OpenAI’s models being associated with Japanese-style outputs. During the unveiling of GPT-4o earlier this year, many users noted an abundance of “Ghibli-style” imagery generated by the model. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s profile picture on X (formerly Twitter) features an illustration reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s signature art style.
Following the backlash, Altman announced that OpenAI would modify Sora’s opt-out policy for rights holders, allowing them to request the exclusion of their content from training datasets. However, CODA claims that such an approach still breaches Japanese law. The association stated, “Under Japan’s copyright system, prior permission is generally required for the use of copyrighted works, and there is no system allowing one to avoid liability for infringement through subsequent objections.”
CODA has now formally demanded that OpenAI “responds sincerely” to its members’ concerns and immediately stop using Japanese intellectual property in any form of machine learning without explicit authorization. The group’s stance underscores Japan’s tightening focus on regulating AI development and protecting its globally influential creative industries.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News LinkedIn Account | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Facebook | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Youtube | The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News Twitter
About us:
The Mainstream formerly known as CIO News is a premier platform dedicated to delivering latest news, updates, and insights from the tech industry. With its strong foundation of intellectual property and thought leadership, the platform is well-positioned to stay ahead of the curve and lead conversations about how technology shapes our world. From its early days as CIO News to its rebranding as The Mainstream on November 28, 2024, it has been expanding its global reach, targeting key markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, the USA, and the UK. The Mainstream is a vision to put technology at the center of every conversation, inspiring professionals and organizations to embrace the future of tech.
