The Impacts of Text-to-Image Generative AI on Creative Professionals According to Prospective Generative AI Researchers: Insights from Japan

The growing interest in Japan to implement text-to-image (T2I) generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies in creative workflows has raised concern over what ethical and social implications these technologies will have on creative professionals. Our pilot study is the first to discuss what social and ethical oversights may emerge regarding such issues from prospective Japanese researchers – computer science (CS) graduate students studying in Japan. Given that these students are the primary demographic hired to work at research and development (R&D) labs at the forefront of such innovations in Japan, any social and ethical oversight on such issues may unequip them as future knowledge experts who will play a pivotal role in helping shape Japan’s policies regarding image generating AI technologies.