Japanese Government Formal Request to OpenAI Over Sora 2

Photo Credit: auceinss

The Japanese government has made a formal request of OpenAI, asking the company to refrain from copyright infringement with its Sora 2 model.

OpenAI first announced the AI video generation model on October 1 and since then, CEO Sam Altman has had to walk back several statements. Originally, the model would have required an ‘opt out’ model for rights holders, drawing the ire of Hollywood and everyone rights holder in-between. After a weekend of uproar, OpenAI released another blog post that confirmed Sora 2 would instead switch to ‘opt-in’ for licensing.

Speaking at the Japanese government’s Cabinet Office press conference, Minoru Kiuchi—Japan’s Minister of State for IP & AI Strategy—informed attendees of the government’s request. Kiuchi described Japan’s intellectual property including manga, anime, games, and music as “irreplaceable treasures” that Japan has shared with the world.

“Japan bears a responsibility to take the lead on making rules [concerning AI and copyright infringement], precisely because we are a country that has captivated the world with the creative power of anime, games, and music,” said Akihisa Shiozaki. Shiozaki has been a critic of OpenAI’s opt-in and laissez-faire attitude toward copyright infringement.

OpenAI contacted studios and talent agencies at the end of September and gave them the option to opt out of Sora 2. It’s unclear whether only American studios were contacted, or if Japanese creative companies and studios were included in those discussions. However, Sora 2’s model can generate likenesses of Japanese characters like Hatsune Miku (pictured)—the vocaloid singer who has been popular for more than 20 years. While Japan has formally requested OpenAI to refrain from infringing on Japanese IP, the company so far has not responded.

Meanwhile, Nintendo addressed rumors that it had contacted the government about its IP appearing in AI tools. “Contrary to recent discussions on the internet, Nintendo has not had any contact with the Japanese government about generative AI,” Nintendo stated. “Whether generative AI is involved or not, we will continue to take necessary actions against infringement of our intellectual property rights.”