RHworks

My Stance on Generative AI

"No matter what technology is used, the final expression is shaped by human individuality and judgment."

As a manga artist and writer, when I work with new tools, including generative AI and other machine-learning technologies, I hold to one principle above all: the final responsibility for expression rests with a human being. I do not adopt tools uncritically for convenience alone. I consider what each work truly requires, and I choose accordingly.

My creative practice has continued through changing relationships between creators and the internet, including earlier debates over unauthorized reposting and attempts to prohibit right-click saving. There was also a time when I myself felt resistance to the learning and data-use aspects of generative AI. For that reason, I do not see this issue as a simple matter of endorsing technology. What matters to me is not only what tools were used, but who made the decisions, how those decisions were made, and how the work was ultimately shaped as an expression.

I review the relevant Japanese legal and policy frameworks, including the Act on the Promotion of Research, Development, and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence-Related Technologies (AI Act) and the AI Business Guidelines, and I conduct my work in compliance with applicable laws concerning copyright, intellectual property, and personal information, while also respecting the intent of those frameworks. The principles emphasized there, such as human-centered use, safety, transparency, and accountability, closely overlap with the values I consider essential in creative work.

I also value transparency about the tools I use. As adaptation work has become a larger part of my professional practice, I no longer list each tool individually in the afterword of every comic volume; instead, I clearly state my position on my official website. For my own original works, however, I continue to disclose the tools I use. I believe that continuing to keep such records can offer meaningful guidance to developers who continue their work amid both support and criticism, and can help encourage better, more responsible development.

Going forward, I will continue to choose tools carefully, in light of the law and relevant guidelines, while keeping human creativity and human responsibility at the center of my work. This is my stance on generative AI.