Key Takeaways
- Japan’s anti-piracy group CODA accuses OpenAI of using copyrighted material from major developers.
- CODA represents companies like Square Enix, Bandai Namco, FromSoftware, and Studio Ghibli.
- The dispute highlights legal differences between U.S. “fair use” and Japan’s stricter copyright laws.
Japanese Game Studios Challenge OpenAI’s AI Training Practices
OpenAI is under renewed scrutiny — this time from Japan’s largest creative industries. The Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), an anti-piracy group representing top Japanese video game and animation studios, has accused the U.S.-based AI company of copyright infringement.
CODA claims that OpenAI’s Sora 2 video generator produces content that “strongly resembles” copyrighted works owned by its members, which include Square Enix, FromSoftware, Bandai Namco, Aniplex, and Studio Ghibli. The group has issued a formal request for OpenAI to stop using its members’ content for AI training without explicit permission.
The Allegations: “Replication During Machine Learning”
According to CODA, the issue goes beyond stylistic similarities. The organization alleges that OpenAI’s training process itself may constitute copyright infringement, since it involves replicating creative works to train machine learning models.
In its written request, CODA stated that it has “confirmed that a large portion of Sora 2’s output resembles existing Japanese content.” The group argues that Japan’s copyright framework does not allow for the kind of broad data use permitted under the U.S. “fair use” doctrine.
In Japan, creators’ works cannot be used for purposes like AI training without prior consent — regardless of whether the result is considered “transformative.” CODA says this makes OpenAI’s opt-out system, which allows content owners to request removal from training datasets, incompatible with Japanese law.
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A Broader Clash Between Law and Innovation
The complaint against OpenAI underscores a growing global tension between AI innovation and intellectual property rights. While U.S. courts are still debating how “fair use” applies to AI training, Japan’s legal stance is clearer: permission must come first.
For developers like Square Enix — known for Final Fantasy — and FromSoftware — behind Elden Ring and Dark Souls — the prospect of AI tools generating similar-looking scenes or characters raises serious commercial and artistic concerns. Similarly, Studio Ghibli, whose hand-drawn art style has been widely mimicked by AI tools, has been vocal about unauthorized imitation of its works.
CODA’s intervention marks one of the first major organized efforts by Japanese entertainment companies to challenge AI developers directly.
OpenAI’s Silence Amid Growing Legal Pressures
As of now, OpenAI has not responded publicly to CODA’s allegations. The company is already facing a wave of lawsuits and public criticism worldwide over its training data practices. The New York Times, author groups, and high-profile writers such as George R. R. Martin have all filed or threatened legal action on similar grounds.
Meanwhile, OpenAI continues to expand aggressively. The company recently launched Sora 2, its latest text-to-video generator, and has secured major partnerships, including one with Amazon for cloud infrastructure. Yet this latest controversy could complicate its push into global markets — particularly in regions with stricter copyright laws like Japan and the European Union.
The Larger Industry Dilemma
The dispute also exposes a growing divide within the gaming industry itself. While Japanese studios push back against unauthorized use of their intellectual property, other developers are embracing AI as a creative tool. Publishers like Electronic Arts (EA) have already integrated AI into development workflows for animation and world-building.
This raises a larger question: can AI and copyright coexist without direct human consent or oversight? The CODA case may set an early precedent for how nations define authorship and ownership in an age of generative technology.
Conclusion: Japan Draws a Line in the Digital Sand
As AI continues to blur the line between inspiration and imitation, Japan’s gaming and animation giants are signaling that not all creative boundaries are negotiable. By formally challenging OpenAI, CODA is asserting Japan’s cultural and legal stance — that artistic works are not free training material, no matter how advanced the model.
Whether this dispute leads to legal action or negotiation, one thing is certain: Sora 2 and its creators have now stepped into the global spotlight, where the battle over AI’s right to learn — and create — is just beginning.
