The Japanese association CODA (Content Overseas Distribution Association), which brings together studios such as Studio Ghibli, Square Enix and Bandai Namcosent a formal letter to OpenAI requesting that it stop using Japanese material in the training of its video generation platform Sora 2. The document was dated October 27, 2025 and disclosed by Variety.
The organization accused OpenAI of engaging in a possible copyright infringement by using pre-existing content to train artificial intelligence models that produce visual results similar to protected works. In its statement, CODA indicated that “a large portion of the content generated by Sora 2 resembles the original Japanese material,” which could involve unauthorized reproduction during the machine learning process.
Studio Ghibli's firm stance on artificial intelligence
Studio Ghibli has maintained a critical position towards artificial intelligence for years. In a 2016 recording that went viral, the director Hayao Miyazaki described the technology as “an insult to life itself” and expressed his total rejection of incorporating algorithms of this type in his productions. “I am completely disgusted. If you want to create spooky things, go ahead. But I would never use this technology in my work,” he declared then.
CODA questions image and data use policies
The letter also criticized the policy of opt-in powered by OpenAI, which allows the use of third-party materials and images unless the owner expresses otherwise. This model has been the subject of controversy in other cases, such as that of Bryan Cranston and the union SAG-AFTRAwho denounced the creation of deepfakes without prior consent. CODA argues that such practice puts the integrity of Japanese creative work at risk and calls for an urgent review of AI training methods.
How will OpenAI respond to international pressure led by the Japanese entertainment industry?
