Anime Industry At Risk? Scary AI Statistics Roll Out

blue lock yoichi frightened
Nick Davis

A new study shows the high level of concern many anime workers have about AI’s effect on the industry moving forward.

AI is the newest technology that many are calling either a fad or a trend around the world right now. Obviously, the concept of artificial intelligence, and iterations of it, have been around for a while. But new projects like ChatGPT and various AI artwork creators are expanding hype to massive levels. The idea of using AI to create art is clearly enticing to many companies. And that interest is precisely what worries many creators working within these industries.

The Consequences Of Anime

The Japanese media outlet TBS News Dig recently did a report about an AI study done by a private organization. The results of that study show that more than 90% of anime and manga creators are worried about rights infringements as a result of AI-generated content.

the dog and the boy netflix
‘The Dog and The Boy’, a new Netflix short that uses some AI-generated background art

AI content generators like ChatGPT and Dall-E can’t actually create anything original. They use the words given by users to find related content and mix it up into whatever the request is. So there have already been proven cases of AI art infringing on others’ content. The recency of the technology means it exists in a legal grey area right now all around the world. There are many artists campaigning for legislative action to be put into place protecting creators from AI infringement. But, as of right now, virtually nothing has been done in any country, the US or Japan.

AI And Art

Meanwhile, some companies are salivating at the idea of artwork without having to pay artists. A recent Netflix short The Dog and The Boy was made partially using AI art for backgrounds. There was massive backlash within artistic communities for this move. The anime industry in Japan is already currently facing a “labor shortage.” Something that many artists are saying is actually the result of companies not wanting to pay nearly enough for the rigorous working conditions.

lil yachty let's start here album cover
The cover for Lil Yachty’s new album ‘Let’s Start Here’

AI has certainly found its way into other artistic mediums, as well. In America, musical artist and Kanye collaborator Lil Yachty used AI artwork for the cover of his most recent album Let’s Start Here. The actual music of the album has critical acclaim. But the artwork, like other major AI creations, took some heat. Like Netflix, Yachty got claims of simply not wanting to pay a real artist for a cover.

AI continues to creep into major artistic industries around the world. And artists continue to feel job insecurity as this progresses.

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