OpenAI's Sora 2 works like a charm for those who want to create an instant AI video, but that's not the case for others. Unfortunately, Japanese media giants are against the newest generative AI model for a reason.
Square Enix, the company behind "Final Fantasy," is sharing the same sentiment as "One Piece" animator Toei about the use of their copyrighted content for data training.
CODA Challenges OpenAI's Data Practices
In a letter, the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) and almost 20 co-signing companies accused OpenAI of unauthorized use of Japanese intellectual property. They claimed a "large portion" of Sora 2's generated visuals and media "closely resemble Japanese content or images," accusing the company of using copyrighted anime and game materials while training data.
Whereas OpenAI's policy, to date, has been to use copyrighted materials to train its models unless creators have explicitly opted out, CODA contends that, according to Japanese copyright law, the approach should be opt-in, with explicit permission required before using any copyrighted work.
CODA's Demands to OpenAI
The organization issued two key demands to OpenAI, according to Automaton's report via Gizmodo:
- Refrain from using any CODA member's content in training datasets without their prior authorization.
- Answer all copyright inquiries from Japanese media companies with transparency regarding AI output from Sora 2.
CODA said that AI developers globally must respect Japan's strict copyright protections; failure to do so undermines the country's cultural and creative industries.
Japan's Government Takes a Stand
The dispute comes amid Japan's growing unease with the misuse of anime and video game assets through AI. In mid-October, the Japanese government called out OpenAI to stop the unauthorized use of local creative works, including "Demon Slayer," Dragon Ball Z," and "One Piece."
Minoru Kiuchi, Japan's minister of state for intellectual property and AI strategy, strongly denounced the impacts of generative AI on creators and emphasized that cultural integrity cannot be sacrificed for technological advancement.
Ghibli Controversy and Larger Backlash
Earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced criticism after the executive revealed Ghibli-inspired imagery created with ChatGPT. At that time, the incident had outraged artists and studios in Japan, who accused the company of using their unique animation style without permission.
It became even more contentious with reports that US government departments also utilized AI-generated visuals for political messaging, adding to the ethical misuse concerns.
Originally published on Tech Times
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