Nintendo Denies Lobbying Japanese Government on AI Restrictions

Nintendo has formally denied claims that it lobbied the Japanese government to restrict generative artificial intelligence, moving to quash rumors that circulated online following a since-deleted social media post by a member of parliament.

The Kyoto-based gaming company said it has had no contact with government officials regarding AI regulation, according to a statement posted on X. The clarification came after Satoshi Asano, a member of Japan's House of Representatives, alleged last week that Nintendo was "engaging in lobbying activities with the government" to push back against generative AI technology. Mr. Asano subsequently deleted the post and issued a formal apology, acknowledging he hadn't verified the information before sharing it publicly.

Nintendo reiterated its commitment to protecting its intellectual property but stopped short of opposing the technology itself, suggesting any future action would target copyright infringement rather than AI development broadly.

OpenAI's Sora Sparks Copyright Concerns With Nintendo Characters

The controversy arrives amid growing tensions between AI companies and content creators over unauthorized use of copyrighted material. OpenAI's recently launched Sora 2 video generation tool drew criticism after users created clips featuring Nintendo's Pokémon characters and figures from Studio Ghibli films.

One viral video depicted an AI-generated version of OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman saying, "I hope Nintendo doesn't sue us."

The backlash appears to have prompted OpenAI to revise Sora's copyright policies, though the company hasn't publicly linked the changes to the Nintendo-related content.

Nintendo has built a reputation for aggressive intellectual-property enforcement, pursuing legal action against unauthorized use of its characters and franchises. Yet the company hasn't ruled out incorporating generative AI into its operations. While leadership has cited IP concerns as a reason for avoiding AI tools internally, executives have signaled openness to adopting emerging technologies when appropriate.

More than half of Japanese game developers are already experimenting with AI applications, according to industry surveys, suggesting Nintendo's cautious stance may eventually shift as the technology matures and legal frameworks develop.