Japanese contest organizers tighten rules as AI-generated art sparks controversy
Kochi officials have revised the Manga Koshien competition guidelines to curb AI-generated entries after a prize-winning work was disqualified for matching an online design.
After a winning manga was pulled from the National High School Manga Competition because an identical image existed online, Kochi’s cultural promotion department overhauled the contest rules. Organizers will now set aside a day after the finals to screen submissions and require entrants to watch a copyright-law video beforehand, with young staff tasked with online image searches. While wholly AI-generated drawings remain ineligible, the guidelines permit limited AI assistance during the concept stage, reflecting a belief that AI can be a useful tool if applied responsibly.
Toru Ota emphasized the aim of teaching copyright awareness, though a Kochi official admitted that enforcement depends on participants’ good faith. In contrast, the Sakaiminato Tourism Association ended its 20-year Yokai Senryu Contest, citing difficulty in verifying human authorship, whereas the Shikoku Contents Video Festival has embraced AI evaluation on a case-by-case basis. Copyright scholar Tatsuhiro Ueno praised the festival’s balanced approach but warned of inadvertent infringement risks.
Why it matters
The story shows how AI is reshaping rules for creative contests, affecting students, organizers, and copyright enforcement.
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