As the surge in the use of Artificial Intelligence or AI continues, many people are starting to ponder the ‘threat’ it poses to humanity, particularly the reduction in ‘human labor’ as more and more aspects of our living become dependent on technology.
In the case of entertainment, AI-generated shows and movies have become controversial topics in the anime community. Recently, an entertainment streaming giant introduced its newest anime project, which generated backlash for its ‘awful’ AI takes. Not only did it create a commercial scheme featuring AI, but it also justified the workforce shortage in the anime industry.
The newly released Japanese short film, “The Dog & The Boy” continues to earn negative reactions from online users, and has caused outrage from real artists for using AI-generated images instead of hiring human workers.
The three-minute sci-fi animation was produced by Netflix Anime Creators in collaboration with Rinna Inc., an AI company, and WIT Studio, an animation company behind the creation of Attack on Titan’s first three seasons, and was released on January 31. The story revolves around a young boy and his robot dog. The latter waits for his owner as he goes off to war.
Based on the streaming platform’s Tweet, the use of AI artwork in the said project was to address the alleged labor shortage in the anime industry.
“As an experimental effort to help the anime industry, which has a labor shortage, we used image generation technology for the background images of all three-minute video cuts,” the statement reads.
This statement has further angered critics, citing the false justification as a statement without any basis, as there’s really no labor shortage at all, and that companies just don’t want to hire human artists who deserve to be paid and earn reasonable compensation for their hard work.
As of this writing, the Tweet has received thousands of retweets and replies from online users.
I can see scheduling conflicts but labor shortages? The future looks bleak. Let’s agree that human beings aren’t disposable or optional. pic.twitter.com/0KRKTlwtdD
— Frank O'Connor (@franklez) February 1, 2023
isnt that great, going from underpaying animators to not paying them at all. what next replace the voice actors with tts? scriptwriters with chatgpt?
how much money do these executives need?
— bligboi (@bligboi) January 31, 2023
Pay your artists and then maybe there wouldn't be a labor shortage. You're a multi-billion dollar company. You can afford it.
Oh wait, your investors are too worried about seeing a line go up to care. It's a shame they don't realize that pure profit isn't everything.
— clarence112 (@mincrftclar112) January 31, 2023
These bgs look bad. Please hire humans.
— Giwi🪱🦷 (@Giwi_) February 1, 2023
Even if they looked good with AI, Hire humans. This tech has stolen from the creative community.
— Beezul (@MrBeezul) February 1, 2023
This is a massive yikes
— Ⱡayna💉🩸Horror Vtuber (@LaynaLazar) February 1, 2023
"Image generation technology"? Just say you stole artists work through an AI gen and then claimed a labour shortage even though people like me and my brother who have degrees can't get jobs because there's 500 other graduates also trying to get an interview per application. Liars
— Reece Alex Burton //39k of 80k Draft// (@ReeceAlexBurton) February 1, 2023
There tons of talented animators out there that deserved to be nurtured and hired. Yet this is the way you chose to handle it with a "labour shortage" excuse? I'm disappointed, and if this is the future of animation from now on then please sign me out of Netflix forever.
— Illui (@IlluiAnagiros) February 1, 2023
Maybe if you paid artists a living wage you wouldn't have a "worker shortage"
You don't lack skilled artists, you're just cheap!!!— Minh Pham (@R62_art) February 1, 2023
What’s your take on this?
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