Bandai and BANDAI SPIRITS issued a joint warning on September 16th regarding AI-generated images that mimic their trademarked figurines, some of which even feature logos resembling the company's own.

The Rise of AI Figurine Art

The trend of using AI to create figurine-style images gained traction on social media earlier this year, coinciding with the popularity of generating Ghibli-style art with ChatGPT. A new wave of interest emerged recently with the release of advanced image-generation AI models, leading to a surge of such posts on platforms like X and Instagram.

Blurring the Lines of Intellectual Property

Concerns were raised by users on social media who noticed that some AI-generated examples, including one posted by the official Gemini app X account, displayed markings strikingly similar to Bandai's registered logos. This prompted discussions about potential trademark infringement.

An Official Corporate Stance

In their statement, the companies confirmed they are aware of these posts and explicitly stated that these images are not official products. They urged consumers to verify authentic merchandise through their official websites. Furthermore, they cautioned that posting such AI-generated images could potentially violate copyright and other intellectual property laws.

The Broader Legal Landscape

This incident highlights the growing legal gray area surrounding AI-generated content. Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has previously noted in a guidebook that AI-generated designs which are identical or similar to registered trademarks could constitute infringement. The use of another's trade dress in AI output might also be considered an act of unfair competition.