TOKYO -- Three Japanese entertainment industry groups are calling for the appropriate use of generative artificial intelligence in the audio field, expressing concerns over the widespread availability online of videos and audio created by training such technology using the voices of performers without permission.

The three groups -- the Japan Actors Union, the Japan Entertainments Management Entrepreneurs' Association and the Japan voice actors association, or JSYCC -- held a joint news conference in Tokyo on Nov. 13 and proposed "exploring ways to properly coexist with AI while protecting voice acting culture." The groups have been discussing how to manage the use of generative AI technology in audio production since November 2023.

In their joint statement, the groups requested that AI-generated voices not be used in animation or the dubbing of foreign films and that permission be obtained from performers when training generative AI on their voices or using AI-generated voices based on their performances. They also requested that it be stated explicitly that the voices are not those of real performers when generative AI-produced audio is used.

The statement also touched upon the need for measures, including the establishment of relevant laws. Under the current Copyright Act, permission from rights holders is generally not required when training AI on copyrighted works at the technological development stages. However, the three organizations strongly advocated for establishing rules requiring permission from rights holders.

In their statement, the groups claim that they are not calling for "reckless regulation" of new technologies such as generative AI, but rather are expressing concerns that "the unregulated misuse of new technology could hinder performers' growth and stifle the sensitivity of general audiences." They argue that "AI should remain a 'support tool' for humans."

Michihiro Ikemizu, vice president of the Japan Actors Union, expressed his concerns at the press conference, saying, "We fear that generative AI may harm creators and hinder the passing on of the skills they have cultivated." The groups say they plan to make the statement's content known to audio production companies.

Voice actor Mika Kanai, who serves as a director of the Japan Actors Union, told the press conference, "We're not against AI as a whole, but what we really want to say is, 'Please don't use our voices without our permission.'"

(Japanese original by Ryutaro Nishimoto, Cultural News Department)