Via Twitter, the developers of the RyokoAI project
reported that they have copied 711,700 works from Japan's largest
independent novel site, Shosetsuka ni Narou (also known as Syosetu or
Narou), making the dataset publicly available for generation models. text by
AI. The “Syosetu711k” dataset includes the majority of novels published
on the site, noting that the popularity of Syosetu and the trend of anime being
adapted from works on the site provide “a large corpus of high-quality creative
content.” in the Japanese language.”
Online commentators have questioned the legality
of this. While Syosetu prohibits any action that “infringes or
threatens to infringe the property, privacy or portrait rights of our group or
others,” this only applies to accounts registered on the site. Users do
not need to be registered to read works on the site or use the site's API to
copy data. Others add that simply copying data does not amount to
infringement. With all data copied between March 26 and 27, 2023, some
have argued that this could be considered business obstruction, given the
potential load on servers from making hundreds of thousands of requests in a
short period.
RyokoAI's goal to quickly generate light novels
comes as Syosetu writers already face criticism from light novel fans for
perceived low quality and many of their titles leaning heavily on narrative
tropes and stereotypes. Furthermore, the frequency with which
the anime industry adapts its titles has also been criticized as 'opportunism'
or a lazy way of maintaining production levels so as not to lose ground to
other countries in the animation market.
A rise in AI-generated novels would surely
intensify this discussion, with some divided between embracing the free market
and banning it outright. Others say they should be labeled,
allowing fans to focus their reading and consumption choices on stories written
by humans. Outside of fans, numerous concerns about the use of AI in Japanese
media have been raised by industry figures. OpenAI's ChatGPT developers
cited Japan's lax regulations on AI as a reason for opening a new office in
Tokyo, prompting "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" lead animation director Nishii
Terumi to brand the government as 'traitors'. '.
He added: " They steal everything they want
because we are a content powerhouse " and " They
never protect the industry or the creators ." The
animators association NAFCA issued a public statement on the threat of AI on
copyright, adding that creators must be able to decide lest "the
'perpetrator' wins and the 'victim' cries herself to sleep." referencing
the threat that creators' hard work could potentially be stolen without
compensation.
