The Japanese Congress has declared that using datasets for training AI models doesn’t violate copyright law. "We asked questions about generative AI from two perspectives: copyright protection and utilization in educational settings," said Takashi Kii, a member of the House of Representatives for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, during a meeting of Japan’s Financial Oversight Committee. “In Japan, works for information analysis can be used regardless of the method, whether for non-profit purposes, for profit, for acts other than reproduction, or for content obtained from illegal sites."

The representative ascertained that "the fact that it can be used even when it is against the will of the copyright holder is problematic from the viewpoint of rights protection," suggesting a need for "new regulations to protect copyright holders."

All art is imitation and innovation in some form or another. One cannot imagine a Vitruvian man without Greek busts and sculptures that came before. Our minds have essentially been art repositories, taking what exists and revolutionizing or subtly changing it in some way to create new art.

AI art advocates argue that each piece is unique and impossible to replicate, which mimics traditional art. Others argue that AI art is a violation of copyright since the training material is already copyrighted in and of itself.

Japan’s declaration is attempting to set a precedent. They’ve opened the door for AI artists to continue creating and exploring this revolutionary new technology. While there is yet a lack of global consensus on the issue, this is a step forward for all AI art enthusiasts everywhere.

‍