Wit Studio, the animation team behind multiple seasons of Attack on Titan, has apologized after an internal investigation uncovered generative AI in its latest anime series Ascendance of a Bookworm.
Upon the debut of Ascendance of a Bookworm's fourth season, a backlash began brewing among viewers after some – including those on Reddit – spotted odd details that were reflective of work generated by AI during its opening (or 'OP') sequence.
As it turns out, that was precisely the case. In a statement on its official website (H/T Anime News Network), Wit announced that it had investigated those claims and apologized for the inclusion of generative AI.
The animation studio then promised the opening sequence would be "replaced" moving forward with a "completed version."
Ascendance of a Bookworm, based on a light novel from Miya Kazuki and You Shiina, follows a peculiar premise. In it, a post-graduate student perishes underneath a pile of books during an earthquake, but is reincarnated as a child in a world where books aren't available to common folk.
Unfortunately, Wit's dabbling with AI isn't an isolated incident in the anime industry. Last year, Amazon came under fire for using an AI-generated English dub in series Banana Fish, while a ChatGPT prompt appeared in German subtitles on Crunchyroll.
Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini has at least been vocal about "not using AI in the creative process" in an interview with Forbes.
Wit Studio, meanwhile, is working on a One Piece anime remake over at Netflix.
For more, check out the other new anime in the works, plus our picks for the best anime movies to add to your watchlist.
