Nintendo is fighting fire with fire.
As reported by The Verge, the Japanese gaming giant has started to crack down on AI-generated artwork based on its games by using an AI-powered copyright tool. The images are being created by Grok, the AI bot built into X (Twitter), and users of the platform have reported receiving emails of Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedowns on behalf of Nintendo.
Specifically, The Verge notes that it received an email over an image it created with Grok featuring Nintendo mascot Mario drinking beer and smoking a cigarette. The email was issued by Tracer, a “brand protection” firm that works with companies to use AI to identify online trademark and copyright violations. Several other X users reported similar emails from Tracer on behalf of Nintendo.
While the images are no longer visible after having been removed due to the DMCA takedowns, The Verge notes that one Grok creation had both Luigi and Wauigi dressed as Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. It’s unclear what other sorts of Nintendo-related images were created using Grok.
Nonetheless, it’s easy to see why a company like Nintendo — especially one known for being rather litigious — would be especially protective of its family-friendly characters being seen smoking and drinking, conducting warfare and other inappropriate situations. To that point, we’ve also seen other AI platforms, like Microsoft’s Bing Image Creator, produce artwork of Nintendo icon Kirby flying a plane towards two buildings in a clear nod to 9/11. A company at CES in January also used Mario as the basis of an AI-powered hologram without Nintendo’s authorization.
With all of that said, The Verge also points out how some innocuous posts have seemingly been caught in the crossfire, including one that supposedly was just a basic “drawing of Mario.” Even after the artist, X user @OtakuRockU_, posted an updated image, they still received a DMCA notice.
All in all, the situation highlights some of the shortcomings of AI across the board. On the generative side, it can be used to create clearly inappropriate images using other people’s intellectual property, be it a company as big as Nintendo or as small as an independent artist. Meanwhile, AI-powered search tools can correctly catch wrongful creations like the Luigi IDF art while also flagging harmless fan works.
Image credit: Nintendo
Source: The Verge
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