Shogakukan's 'Serai.jp' Apologizes After Contractor Feeds Copyrighted Portrait into ChatGPT for Illustration
Shogakukan's web media 'Serai.jp' apologized for copyright infringement in an article illustration. A freelance illustrator commissioned through an editorial production company fed a copyrighted portrait of 'Gohime' (owned by Okayama City) into ChatGPT without authorization, edited the output, and submitted it. Shogakukan apologized for the lack of oversight and rights verification.
WISECODE Take
Shogakukan apologized on September 18, 2026, as an outsourced illustrator fed a copyrighted portrait of "Gohime" into ChatGPT to generate and deliver an illustration. This debunks the misconception that modifying AI-generated outputs or outsourcing entirely shields a company from copyright infringement. Although the illustrator edited the pattern afterward, uploading copyrighted works into AI without authorization constitutes reproduction and adaptation. No amount of post-processing can legitimize the infringement at the source. Businesses relying on outsourcing face reputational and legal risks if they lack AI clauses, while those with strict restrictions remain unaffected. Zhidian's contract review service helps safeguard enterprises at the source. We recommend two actions: first, add an "AI Use Clause" in outsourcing contracts to prohibit uploading unauthorized works to generative AI; second, require contractors to provide creative process logs or compliance declarations upon delivery. Verifying the sources of creators' materials is a crucial lesson for modern executives to avoid intellectual property risks.
Original sources
Compiled automatically by WISECODE IP Radar. Summaries are short source excerpts; commentary is AI-generated. See the source links for full text.
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