Photo/Illutration A video using anime characters that closely resemble those from Pokemon (Shota Tomonaga)

A new social media app that incorporates artificial intelligence can automatically create videos with anime characters close to the real thing, triggering concerns about copyright infringement.

The problem especially hurts Japanese companies that produce anime and manga content because American comic companies, such as Disney and Marvel, have contacted OpenAI, which created the Sora app, and asked that messages pop up to block any possible use of its contents by Sora users.

Writing a request to the Sora app leads to it using AI to generate videos or anime.

Users of the app have posted anime to social media that is close to the original, but with special twists by bringing together characters from different anime onto a single stage.

One example is Son Goku, the main character of the “Dragon Ball” manga and anime series, using a special skill on “Wanpanman,” the main superhero of a different work.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT generative artificial intelligence service created a buzz this spring when it responded to requests to create anime in the style of Studio Ghibli.

Sora takes the technology a step further by creating anime characters that look and sound like the original.

The posting to social media of Japanese anime likely created by the Sora app has led to concerns about copyright breaches.

Tatsuhiro Ueno, a copyright law professor at Waseda University in Tokyo, said OpenAI could be found in violation of copyright law once any user of the Sora app generates photo or video content that closely resembles established anime characters.

“There is the possibility of a judgment about illegality for allowing the transmission to the public of copyrighted material without approval,” Ueno said.

He noted that if Sora app users created anime and enjoyed it by themselves, no copyright issues would arise. But posting the “creations” to social media would inevitably lead to legal problems.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, unless the copyright holder completes procedures to deny use of copyrighted material, open season on use by others of that material would be the likely result.

Kensaku Fukui, a lawyer who specializes in copyright issues, said the technology could strike a heavy blow to Japanese content companies if it is used to create anime or videos that become hugely popular on social media and creates market confusion over what is the genuine product.

Several Japanese content companies have already reportedly reached agreement with OpenAI to not allow use of their copyrighted material by the app.

The company did not respond to questions from The Asahi Shimbun.

Related News