The Korean government reveals an ambitious plan to spread K-content globally, with its aims including AI use to combat piracy streaming sites.
Via Korean news outlet Money Today, a new Ministry of Science and ICT (MiST) report revealed plans to promote the switch to AI-based systems instead of manual ones to combat illegal piracy streaming sites. The government said it will "support technologies that can automatically detect and track online video services and illegal sites by switching from manual to artificial intelligence-based detection and verification methods." More generally, the Dec. 19 report "Korean-style online video service industry - Announcement of Strategy to Strengthen International Competitiveness" saw the MiST meet with online distribution services, tech companies, and AI representatives, and announce their collective strategy.
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Technology powerhouses like Samsung and LG attended in addition to major content companies like CJ ENM. The report outlined strategies like a 1 trillion won ($685m) public-private fund to spread K-content globally, as well as increasing participation in overseas video festivals like Cannes. Samsung and LG's 600 million TVs worldwide will be used to promote accessibility to Korean content. Further AI strategies include dubbing in overseas languages, integrating AI into Korean streaming channels for recommendations, and using AI to allow interactive storytelling. The report also outlines aims to use 3 million hours of video over the last 70 years to feed into AI models to generate new content and help with all stages of production. Preferential treatment will be given to companies combining AI and digital technologies, like VFX and editing, and training will be provided to promote AI understanding.
Expanding K-content worldwide has been a core aim of the government for years. The Korean government's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Korea Copyright Commission recently handed out awards to those helping to advance the country's media globally. Hong Seong-jin, an Interpol Special Agent, was one of these recipients, who was awarded for efforts to fight piracy globally. His statement called for more Korean police officers and investigators to be sent overseas to collaborate on piracy crackdowns. He added that the "most rewarding part" of his job is seeing pirates sent to prison with maximum statutory sentences, adding, "I will make sure that the copyright infringers in my case folder are caught and made to pay the price."
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As with Korea, the Japanese government is exploring AI. OpenAI opened a branch in Japan, citing the country's "consistent approach of not aiming for strict A.I. regulations." This was slammed by creators, including Jujutsu Kaisen 0 chief animation director Terumi Nishii, who branded the government "sellouts." New anime projects integrating AI into the workflow are regularly popping up. The Japanese government recently also announced a new AI project to reduce piracy sites globally. The project will learn the layout of piracy sites, identify pirated images, and facilitate the "smooth" removal of detected content, likely through DMCA takedowns via Google.
Source: Ministry of Science and ICT (MiST), via Money Today