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Bandai Warns Against AI-Generated Images Using its Trademarks
posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
Japanese multinational toy and hobby manufacturer Bandai issued a statement on Tuesday regarding generative AI images posted on social media using the likeness of its corporate symbols, brand logos, and other registered trademarks. The press release reads:
Caution on AI-Generated Images
We are currently aware of cases where images of figures and other items bearing two corporate symbols, brand logos, and other registered trademarks are being generated and posted on social media using generative AI.
We have received inquiries about this, but please be aware these images are not our products.
For information about our products, please check the official website.Caution on Posting
Depending on the generated image, posting it on social media may raise suspicions of copyright infringement or other illegal activities.
Please exercise caution when posting.
Also, please refrain from posting generated images in a way that could lead others to mistake them for our products.Regarding Inquiries
We are unable to respond to inquiries regarding products other than ours.
We appreciate your understanding.
Included with the press release are example Bandai logos when the company advertises its products.
Bandai Namco Collectibles posted a slightly differently worded statement in English a day later, including the statement, "Bandai Namco Toys & Collectibles America Inc. strongly condemns any form of violence and does not support or endorse the use of our brand, products, or logo in any such context."
A Hachima Kikō post about Bandai's statement included a September 2 X (formerly Twitter) post from the official account of Google's Gemini generative AI chatbot app. Google Gemini's September 2 post features a generative AI image with what appears to be the red Bandai logo on the box of a figure:
As of press time, Google has not issued a statement regarding the likeness of corporate logos seen in images generated by Google Gemini.
Sources: Bandai Spirits' X/Twitter account, Bandai, Google Gemini's X/Twitter account via Hachima Kikō
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