The announcement by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs to develop an AI-powered system to combat piracy of manga and anime represents a significant step toward protecting the country’s content industry. With estimated annual damages reaching 2 trillion yen, transitioning from labor-intensive methods to an automated and efficient approach marks substantial progress. However, several critical challenges have also come to light in this endeavor.
Automation of Detection and Removal Using AI: Anticipated Benefits
The proposed system aims to enable broader and faster responses to piracy through AI training on images and text. Specific expected benefits include:
- Improved Detection Accuracy and Speed
By leveraging multi-language capabilities and detecting piracy at the content level, the system has the potential to efficiently identify domestic and international pirated materials. The use of AI-powered text translation is particularly advantageous for tackling piracy spreading overseas.
- Reduction of Financial Losses and Promotion of Legitimate Distribution
With decreased access to pirated content, legitimate content is more likely to be chosen, ensuring appropriate revenue flows back to creators and rights holders.
- Streamlined Enforcement of Rights
Automating processes like takedown requests can reduce the burden on rights holders and improve response times.
Challenges to Implementation
Despite its potential, the initiative faces the following challenges:
- Addressing False Positives
AI may mistakenly identify permitted uses, such as game commentary videos or fan art approved by rights holders, as piracy. This could restrict legitimate activities by creators and users, posing a significant risk.
- Complexity of Rights Management
The rights and permissions associated with content vary, making it difficult for AI to accurately identify and process them automatically. Close collaboration with rights holders and related organizations is essential.
- Difficulties in International Responses
Many piracy sites operate overseas, subject to varying laws. Even if AI successfully detects piracy, smooth execution of takedown requests or legal action is not guaranteed.
- Initial Investment and Operational Costs
Although a budget of 300 million yen has been allocated, continuous investment is necessary for system development and operation. Mechanisms to measure effectiveness and secure additional funding as needed are required.
Collaboration Between the Agency for Cultural Affairs and Rights Holders Is Key
For the system to succeed, close cooperation between the Agency for Cultural Affairs and rights holders is vital. System design must reflect the needs of rights holders, and operational viability must be thoroughly tested. To minimize false positives, it is also important to ensure the quality and quantity of AI training data and to incorporate user feedback into system improvements.
Protecting Japan’s Content Industry
Japanese manga and anime are highly regarded globally and constitute valuable cultural assets with significant economic impact. The use of AI to combat piracy will promote the distribution of legitimate content and contribute to the sustainability of creators and related industries. At the same time, it is essential to strike a balance to avoid hindering legitimate uses and to tackle challenges step by step.
Looking ahead, this system has the potential to serve as a model for international content protection and to spread to other countries, enhancing global efforts to safeguard creative works.
