Author Learns the Hard Way Not to Trust AI

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Author Learns the Hard Way Not to Trust AI

Key Takeaways

  • AI can make mistakes – case in point a light novel author trusted it blindly.
  • Author named character Latina based on an AI list, causing controversy.
  • Snap decision by author leads to cultural insensitivity backlash online.

As a seasoned gamer and avid follower of the anime and manga industries, I’ve seen it all – from groundbreaking technological advancements to cringe-worthy blunders. The latest incident involving light novel author Kiraku Kishima is one for the books, or rather, one for the internet memes.

One of the hottest debates in the modern world right now is the use of AI, or artificial intelligence. An incredible amount of progress has been made in the world of AI in the last few years, and it is being used in more and more industries. For better or for worse, the anime and manga industries have also been affected. Entire manga are even being designed by AI instead of humans these days.

Well, as a gamer, let me put it this way: AI might be smart, but it ain’t got the human touch. It can slip up in ways we wouldn’t dream of, something Kiraku Kishima, a light novel author, is finding out the hard way right now. You see, he let an AI name one of his characters without giving it a thorough once-over. The character in question belongs to his current light novel, Kasshoku Musume no Latina-san ni Ore no Karada ga Nerawarteiru. The end result? A pretty embarrassing faux pas!

AI Only Understands So Much

It Takes a Human to Know What’s Okay

Author Learns the Hard Way Not to Trust AI

Kiraku Kishima is penning a novel titled “The Dark-Brown Latina Girl Has Taken an Interest in My Physique,” which roughly translates to “The Dark Brown Latina Girl Is Aiming For My Body.” Manga Mogura RE provided an English synopsis of the plot on their X (previously Twitter) page as follows:

As a high school gamer, I found myself assisting a bubbly Latina newcomer in distress. Overwhelmed by her boundless gratitude, she unexpectedly expresses a desire to tie the knot with me and start a family! This turn of events has left me both surprised and flattered!

It sounds like a typical romantic comedy plot for a light novel, but with one element that makes it stand out from the rest – the love interest is a Latina girl. At first, this got a lot of attention overseas for a few reasons. Of course, it does make the light novel stand out from others in the same genre, and the front cover design does feature a curvy, dark-skinned protagonist. It got positive attention from crowds that assumed Kiraku Kishima knew about Latin culture, so they were excited to read about it – and on the flip side, it got a lot of negative attention from people who were uncertain if Kishima really knew what they were doing writing the character.

Two days later, following Manga Mogura RE’s initial post, Kishima themselves clarified their work on their own platform. The main character in this story is a Latina girl, and interestingly enough, she shares the same name as her ethnicity. In a series of posts, the author confessed that they struggled to decide on a suitable name for their captivating protagonist, who they described as an indigenous woman from the Amazon with Portuguese as her second language. To find a fitting name, Kishima turned to an AI engine for suggestions. The AI provided them with a list of popular South American girl names, and “Latina” was one of the options that caught their attention. Unbeknownst to Kishima, this name is also used as an adjective in English.

A Hasty Clarification From the Author

Kiraku Kishima composed all their tweets on their Twitter account, as they were encountering confusion primarily within the English-speaking community concerning the term “Latina.” In their subsequent posts, they clarified this matter.

Hey there fellow gamers! I’m laying it all out here because folks who got pumped about this game thinking, “Wow, this person’s in the know about Latin culture!” ended up being bummed after buying it. That’s definitely not the vibe I wanted to give off. Now, since my work is a comedy, I’d love for you to chuckle at any hiccups along the way!

Despite the fact that some people aren’t finding humor in their errors online, many responses to the author’s posts criticize them for not verifying the AI’s output and for naming a Latina character “Latina,” which is seen as evidence of their lack of knowledge about the culture they are portraying. Members of the Latin community, in particular, have spoken up, expressing concern that the light novel may perpetuate incorrect stereotypes due to Kishima’s ignorance of the culture. For many people, this mistake and the comedy light novel itself are not a source of amusement.

The author seems to be staying silent about the issue, possibly to avoid making matters worse by speaking inappropriately. It remains to be seen if the novel Kasshoku Musume no Latina-san ni Ore no Karada ga Nerawarteiru can recover from this early production mishap or if it will instead lead to its downfall. However, given how the character of Latina is depicted in the light novel, there may have been issues with her portrayal before she was named by AI. Kiraku Kishima has learned a valuable lesson about not trusting AI without thoroughly reviewing its output, which serves as a reminder for us all.

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2024-08-23 19:34