According to Anime Daily, at the end of January, Netflix released a short animated film titled The Dog and the Boy, specifically for the Japanese market. The piece is only 3 minutes long, telling the story of an adventure involving a boy and a robotic dog, set years after they were separated by war.
The simple storyline and brief duration of The Dog and the Boy has shocked animation professionals worldwide, as the project was largely supported by AI technology.
According to the production studio’s explanation, the film is an experiment intended to assist the anime industry, which is currently facing a labor shortage.
Director Ryotaro Makihara noted that AI allows animation studios to save time and effort. “By integrating technology and human creativity, I’ve realized that we can focus solely on complex ideas while letting AI handle the execution,” he said.
However, the production studio faces significant criticism regarding the use of AI technology. The Resto of World believes that both the animation film industry and the general workforce are at risk of losing jobs to AI.
Animation artist Zakuga Mignon has initiated a movement supporting human artists with the hashtag #SupportHumanArtists. The hashtag gained significant traction on Twitter following the release of The Dog and the Boy. According to Mignon, the rise of artificial intelligence threatens to replace human jobs in the creative sector, posing a challenge as the industry continues to evolve.
“Human creativity is a crucial part of the animation production process. Artists involved in this work must possess advanced skills,” said Elena Altheman from Concordia University.
Elena Altheman mentioned that artists in the industry often receive low evaluations and struggle to gain appropriate recognition. The Concordia University expert also emphasized that the anime industry does not lack talent but is instead hindered by poor working conditions and low wages.
“Artists are struggling to survive under these constraints to meet demand. However, the reality is that the animation workforce cannot compete with AI, which could potentially produce up to 600 pieces per day,” Altheman said.
Regarding the ongoing debates, producer Taiki Sakurai stated, “We only hope to contribute to enhancing and improving the flexibility of the anime industry in the future.”
The representative for the film’s release has not yet commented on the situation.
