The Asahi Shimbun, a prominent news organization in Japan, recently published an article titled “Without rules, AI-generated art paints a grim picture for artists.” This thought-provoking piece explores the concerns raised by individuals in the manga and anime communities regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on artistic expression. The Arts Workers Japan conducted a survey involving 26,891 artists, authors, video game creators, and photographers, revealing that an overwhelming 93.8% of respondents expressed their worries. One prevailing fear among these creative professionals is the potential infringement of their rights. In certain instances, individuals have impersonated established artists and replicated their unique styles using AI technology. Astonishingly, almost 60% of the surveyed artists expressed anxiety about AI technology leading to a decline in job opportunities and posing a threat to their livelihoods.
The artist, Rokuro Shinofusa, shared his concerns with the Asahi Shimbun, stating, “Artists develop their distinct painting styles over many years. If their imitations gain popularity and rapidly saturate the market, people may quickly lose interest. This could dampen creators’ enthusiasm, affecting their motivation to continue producing art.” Shinofusa further worries that skilled individuals may be unjustly terminated, replaced by AI. Another notable Japanese artist, Yo Shimizu, warned that the trust between AI developers, users, and creators is already showing signs of deterioration at the dawn of generative AI. Shimizu emphasized the urgent need for regulations to protect both artists’ and consumers’ rights, so that the entire industry does not stagnate.
In an effort to safeguard the rights of creators, some policymakers are proposing a requirement for AI-generated artwork to be marked with an explicit AI label or watermark. This labeling mechanism is not currently a law, but it could easily allow AI-generated art pieces to be distinguished from those created by human artists.. In the meantime, artists in Japan, as well as worldwide, anxiously await legislative measures that will secure their work and provide them with the necessary safeguards.
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