A Japanese trade organization representing publishers, including the renowned Studio Ghibli, has formally urged OpenAI to stop training its AI models on copyrighted content without explicit permission. Studio Ghibli, celebrated for masterpieces like “Spirited Away” and “My Neighbor Totoro”, has been notably impacted. After ChatGPT’s image generator launched in March, a viral trend emerged where users prompted the AI to transform selfies or pet photos into Ghibli-style art. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined in, updating his X profile picture to a “Ghiblified” version.

With OpenAI’s Sora video generator now expanding access, Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) has intensified its stance, formally requesting that OpenAI refrain from using members’ content for machine learning without proper authorization.

This is not an isolated issue. OpenAI’s “ask forgiveness, not permission” approach has enabled the effortless creation of images and videos featuring copyrighted characters and even deceased celebrities, triggering widespread backlash. Complaints have come from entities like Nintendo and the estate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., particularly over deepfake risks with Sora.

OpenAI now faces a choice: comply or risk lawsuits. The U.S. legal landscape for AI training on copyrighted material remains unclear. Copyright law hasn’t been significantly updated since 1976, and judicial precedent is limited. A recent ruling by U.S. federal judge William Alsup found that Anthropic did not violate copyright by training on books, but the company was fined for pirating the source material.

In contrast, CODA asserts that under Japanese law, replicating specific copyrighted works during machine learning, especially when reproduced in outputs, may constitute infringement. CODA states: “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.”

Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli’s legendary co-founder, has not commented on the recent AI trend. However, in 2016, when shown AI-generated 3D animation, he famously declared: “I am utterly disgusted… I feel strongly that this is an insult to life itself.”