Danica Davidson
May 10, 2023 
The Arts Workers Japan, an association in Tokyo, sent an appeal to the country’s Agency for Cultural Affairs about protecting entertainers from losing their jobs or copyrights due to AI. This includes entertainers who work as voice actors in anime.
“The advancement of AI under these circumstances impacts our livelihood,” said director of Arts Workers Japan Megumi Morisaki, who is also an actor. “I hope sufficient consideration will be given to the issue.”
The group also held a press conference, and put forward the idea that the Copyright Act could be used to protect creators from having their work infringed by AI.
The majority of workers in the entertainment industry in Japan (as well as in other countries) work as independent contractors and do not have companies that will protect them. If AI were to infringe on their copyright, they would have a difficult time doing anything about it on their own.
Besides copyright, there is the fear that jobs will be lost altogether. Voice actors think that AI could learn their voice work and simply replace them. A recent survey done by Arts Workers Japan found that many people in the entertainment industry are worried about AI. Besides voice actors, dancers, stunt doubles, film stars and theater actors have been telling the Arts Workers Japan about their replacement worries.
Mangaka Junji Ito recently shared his own fears about the quick advancement of AI. He thinks manga in the future might be created by AI instead of people, because it could be cheaper and faster for companies to crank out manga this way.
Hayao Miyazaki is another big name who has expressed concerns about AI. He said that using AI for art is “is an insult to life itself,” something many entertainers involved with the Arts Workers Japan association would agree with.
Source: The Mainichi
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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