Netflix created an anime using an AI animator

Netflix made a major blunder and incurred the wrath of millions of anime fans by publishing a tweet acknowledging the use of AI in the creation of a new anime. The short film in question is The Dog & The Boy, produced by the company’s Japanese subsidiary. Japan is the home of anime, but now the situation of the artists is extremely difficult, which has only increased the guilt Netflix in the eyes of the public.

According to the press release, the AI animator was provided by Rinna, a developer of artificial intelligence systems based in Tokyo. the project also involved WIT Studio, author of such popular series as “Attack on Titans” and “Vinland Saga.” Both companies are considered “heavyweights” in the anime industry, indicating the potential scale of the future use of AI in this field.

Netflix’s anime itself doesn’t stand out in any way-the whole problem is the company’s policies. They bluntly stated that they used an AI animator because of labor shortages, saying it was an experiment designed to help the entire anime industry. It’s hard to think of a worse insult – the labor of anime artists today is so devalued that even desperate enthusiasts do not survive in this field, because their pay is not enough to buy the simplest food.

On average, an anime artist in Japan gets a full-time job for about $200 a month, the most famous animators can claim $3.5-3.8k. The work of a janitor, a loader or an office clerk is paid much more generously. Meanwhile, the production of anime remains a very profitable occupation for publishers, but they deliberately exploit the gravitational pull of young talent to buy their skills cheaply. So in this situation, instead of supporting artists who are barely surviving, Netflix entrusts their work to AI – the public reaction has been legitimate.

You may be interested: Blinken: China’s balloon flight violates U.S. sovereignty