AI-related copyright losses cost celebrities up to ¥4.5 billion, study says

A Japanese nonprofit found over 43,000 AI deepfakes of celebrities created in two months last year, causing copyright losses estimated at ¥2 billion to ¥4.5 billion. The Japan Publicity Right Protection Organization (JAPRO) study highlights widespread infringement and low awareness among entertainment companies, prompting government discussions on legal measures.

Over 43,000 AI deepfakes that used celebrities’ likenesses without their consent were created over a two-month period last year, leading to copyright losses of up to ¥4.5 billion, a nonprofit rights group has found. A study released by the Japan Publicity Right Protection Organization JAPRO last month showed that there were 43,483 cases of suspected copyright infringement due to AI during the two months from June 2025. Content that infringes on an artist’s copyrights include using AI to make a live-action version of an anime from images of celebrities or generating anime characters’ voices to have them sing popular songs. Such AI-generated content attracted approximately 335 million views on social media, resulting in financial losses estimated at ¥2 billion to ¥4.5 billion for celebrities and artists, according to the study. The estimated losses were calculated based on licensing fees related to using a person’s likeness or voice, as well as the advertising value of view counts. However, the nonprofit added that the “actual financial losses might be significantly larger than the estimate,” as the calculation only covered cases they were able to find. The survey also found that only around 28% of companies were “fully” or “somewhat aware” of the full scope of damages caused by copyright infringement, with many saying it was impossible to keep track of all illegal uses of their artists likenesses. Only 1.1% of companies said they had guidelines on how to deal with these violations. Some 52% said they were “currently considering” options, while the rest had no plans as of date. Many pointed out the difficulty of formulating such guidelines on their own. The study surveyed 174 companies in the entertainment industry and collected data from various social media platforms. Earlier this year, the Justice Ministry set up an expert panel to discuss possible legal actions against AI-generated content and is looking to compile guidelines as concerns around AI usage in the entertainment industry https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2024/01/05/tech/ai-in-japanese-entertainment/ continue to heighten. AI usage is also raising concerns in the news industry. Since last December, the Japan Fair Trade Commission JFTC has been investigating how news content is being used without permission by AI-powered search engines.