Studio Ghibli: Studio Ghibli is well known as the legend of Japanese animation. Its pure, vibrant and hand-drawn style of artwork has won the hearts of millions of people worldwide. However, recently, the trend of using this style in new ways of technology and AI has started to be debated. Artificial Intelligence (AI for short) is now able to imitate the style of Studio Ghibli.
But this has not only created new opportunities for creativity, but also raised questions about copyright and the moral rights of the artist.
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: New Horizons of Technology
AI models, such as digital image generation tools, diffusion models, or GANs, are now effective at creating real-life Studio Ghibli-style animations or images. Given a simple phrase, such as “a Studio Ghibli-style forest,” AI can transform that phrase into a fictional, beautiful image.
The basic process is to train the model using a large dataset. This dataset may contain images or artwork that are examples of Studio Ghibli artwork. The model then uses that data to learn the style, color, and texture of the artwork and create something new on its own.
Copyright concerns: The origins of the problem
This process of AI-training is at the heart of the problem. Including the work of artists or institutions like Studio Ghibli, who have painstakingly created their own works, in AI datasets without permission could be considered copyright infringement.
- Image ownership controversy: When an AI model creates an image that mimics the style of a studio ruin, who owns the image? Does it belong to the model’s creator? Or the person who gave the instructions (prompter)? Or will the original artist also have some rights?
- Insult to original artists: If an AI is able to create art that resembles studio ruin, the creativity and authority of the original artists may be questioned. Many believe that AI-created people are incapable of capturing the emotions, passions, and feelings of their creators.
- Legal ambiguity: Copyright law is unclear in many areas, especially where AI-created images are new and represent the organization of reality.
Supporters say: Technology means moving forward
Not everyone is against AI-powered industries, however. Here’s what those in favor of AI have to say:
- Expanding creativity: AI can be a great platform for new artists where they can easily create beautiful images like Studio Ghibli.
- Fast and cost-effective solutions: Creating complex animations or illustrations takes a lot of time and money. AI provides a fast and cost-effective solution in this case.
- Educational use: Many people want to learn and imitate Studio Ghibli’s style. AI can be a helpful tool for them.
Review from an ethical perspective
Studio Ghibli’s style has a deep connection to human emotions. In such a context, when artificial intelligence imitates that style, it can become problematic from an ethical perspective.
- Respect for artists: Studio Ghibli founder and filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki once said, “We value the hands, hearts, and imaginations of humans.” Can AI-created films ever retain that human touch?
- Illegal Use: Many people may use AI-generated images to create confusion by using the names of the original Studio Ghibli or other companies. This can be confusing for buyers and viewers.
The path to the future: finding balance
This conflict between AI and human-made art is not new. It is an ongoing debate, forcing us to reconsider our approach to copyright law and ethics. In the future, some steps can be taken:
- Clear copyright policies: Enact laws on the ownership of images created by AI and the rights of artists.
- Dataset transparency: Making the dataset used for AI training transparent, so that one knows where the data came from.
- Maintaining human sensitivity: Developing technologies that do not harm human sensitivity.
