AI anime flood: An infringement investigation of 90,000 images

TOKYO -- A Nikkei investigation reveals how AI-generated anime is flooding the internet. Generative AI is rapidly evolving, using innovative methods to produce text, images, video and audio. Although new copyright rules are on the way, the illicit use of AI is undermining anime, the gasoline in Japan's soft power engine.

Large numbers of mashed-up images are published on generative AI image sharing websites that attract users from around the world. Anyone can generate images to their liking and post them. A search on multiple sites for the names of the main characters of 13 globally popular anime titles turned up over 90,000 images.

With the help of experts, Nikkei found about 2,500 of these images had multiple similarities to the original artwork.