The backlash against generative AI is already strong and will continue to be so against AGI and ASI. In general, the sudden emergence of new machines and technologies always tends to cause people to reconsider the nature of human involvement. In the case of media content, this desire to emphasize the presence of humans is a factor that encourages the legacization and classicization of traditional content production methods and genres. This gives rise to the industrial composition that Baumol presented as a cost disease. This does not mean that AI will be dismissed, but it is possible that new genres and fields will be differentiated on the basis of AI.

Neither acceptance nor opposition to AI can yet be judged as predominant, and how the benefits and risks will be evaluated as AGI and ASI progresses will require continued close attention in assuming a free rather than regulated regime.

This paper tries to discuss on the problems anticipated in the society in which AGIs are realized. Firstly, whether AGI is recognized as fully qualified "person" in our legal system, and if the answer is yes, what kind of problems can be expected due to the difference in its character as a being. Secondly, how does its existence affect our human activities of education. In doing so, the author pointed out the need to distinguish between essential personality (discussed from the ontological viewpoint) and instrumental personality (justified from consequentialist standpoint) in the discussion of the human condition (person theory), and examined whether the concept of "individual" can be assumed in the networked AGI. The author also pointed out that where the model of exemplification and repetition is often used in education, there is a danger of losing its function, especially since simple and easy stages of work will be substituted by AGI. The author concluded that if updating values beyond repetition were to become the function especially for human beings, explicit methods for acquiring this capability would be necessary.

Since 2020, AI has gained renewed attention due to the development of generative AI, particularly large-scale language models (LLMs). Initially designed to improve efficiency, AI is now expected to enhance creativity by combining existing knowledge to create new value. While AI cannot generate entirely new ideas from scratch, it may eventually evolve to make Nobel Prize-level discoveries. However, caution is necessary to prevent AI from becoming uncontrollable. The shift from tool-based AI to autonomous general-purpose AI is underway, where AI can understand situations and make independent decisions without human instructions.

At the same time, the Internet is flooded with vast amounts of information, including false data generated by AI, making it difficult for people to access reliable information. Solutions like originator profiles have been proposed to clarify information sources, but human cognitive limitations make it hard to process non-physical information, unlike physical objects with tangible attributes. Before the Internet, people could understand information based on context, but today, they are overwhelmed, leading to misunderstandings and misinformation.

Autonomous AI is expected to address this by collecting and selecting relevant information to foster innovation while maintaining diversity. Trust in AI's decisions is crucial, and explainability—how AI arrives at decisions—is key. The development of causal reasoning techniques will further enhance trust. Though it may take time for people to fully accept AI decisions, trust will grow through successful experiences. Eventually, delegating complex problems to AI will become commonplace. This delegation is based on trust, not domination, and in a future where humans and AI coexist, AI will become a valuable partner in enhancing human creativity.

As society becomes increasingly digitalized, especially through the Internet, a great deal of personal information is being collected. In such an era, individuals can live in peace only when they are legally guaranteed that information about them will be handled appropriately. The Personal Information Protection Law provides a mechanism to protect personal information for this purpose. However, under the current law, personal information protected here is limited to “information about a living individual”. In other words, after an individual dies, information about the deceased ceases to be personal information under the Personal Information Protection Law and, in principle, is no longer subject to protection.

Under these legal circumstances, this paper discusses whether personal information should be protected even after death, and if so, how it should be regulated. First, court decisions and ordinances concerning the protection of personal information after death will be analyzed. Second, discussions concerning the defamation and the moral rights of the dead, where similar problems exist, will be analyzed. These analyses will reveal the interests to be considered, the options for specific discipline, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.

In conclusion, this paper suggests for the following regulations. (i) In order to protect the personal interests of the deceased, information about the deceased should be protected as personal information. (ii) The rights to demand disclosure should be granted to the surviving family member or person designated by the dead, in accordance with Article 116 of the Copyright Act. (iii) As specific rules, (a) the surviving family member or the designated person should hold the right, (b) they can request for disclosure, correction, and discontinuance of the utilization, unless it is against the will of the deceased, and (c) appropriate time limits should be set for these requests, taking into consideration the unique circumstances of personal information protection.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) holds the “Study Group on the Ideal Broadcasting System in the Digital Age" and its working groups to discuss and work on the future vision of broadcasting around the year 2030 based on the changes in the broadcasting environment. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the topics of the Internet distribution of broadcasting (especially public broadcasting) content and the broadcasting prominence, to introduce German trends in this area, and to serve as a reference for future considerations in Japan.

First of all, this paper reviews the transition of the systems and efforts related to the Internet distribution by German broadcasting media (especially public broadcasting) that started ahead of Japan, such as the transition from the broadcasting receiving fee system to the broadcasting contribution fee system and the start of providing original programs for the Internet distribution etc., and also introduces an example of the three-step test when an original program for the Internet distribution by German broadcasting media started to be provided.

Also in Germany, the role of the broadcasting media (including public broadcasting, which is responsible for the basic supply) in providing free access to reliable and diverse factual information for functioning democracy has been emphasized in the context of the danger of viewers being confined to a media environment that reflects only their own interests in the digital information space. Then, the Interstate Media Treaty provides for a mechanism to make it easier to find specific content on the user interface that is particularly relevant for the formation of public opinion (the so-called broadcasting prominence mechanism). The second part of the paper introduces this mechanism and reviews its current state of implementation.

The Act Partially Amending the Act on Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, etc. which was passed in the 218th Japanese ordinary Diet session, takes measures such as abolishing responsibilities related to research conducted by Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone East Corporation and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone West Corporation and partially deregulating appointment of their foreign directors or auditors for the purpose of strengthening the international competitiveness of the information and communications industry in Japan.

The “Act to Partially Amend the Act on the Limitation of Liability of Specified Telecommunications Service Providers for Damages and the Right to Demand Disclosure of Sender Identification Information,” enacted in the 213th Ordinary Session of the Diet, is a law that the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications designates large-scale social media or online bulletin board providers as “large-scale specified telecommunications service providers” in order to address harm including rights infringement on online information distribution platforms, and takes measures such as imposing the obligations (1) to deal with takedown requests expeditiously and (2) to make the operation status transparent.

Specifically, (1) in order to deal with takedown requests expeditiously, large-scale specified telecommunications service providers shall publicize a method of receiving takedown requests from those who claim that their rights have been infringed on the platforms, establish a system necessary to conduct investigations regarding the requests, and notify the requesters of the decisions within a certain period of time.

In addition, (2) in order to make the operation status transparent, large-scale specified telecommunications service providers shall stipulate and publicize standards for removal and suspension, and if they remove a post or suspend an account, they shall notify a sender of such a fact and its reason, and shall publicize the content moderation status once a year.

Besides, the title of the law is changed to the “Act on Measures Against Infringement of Rights, etc. Arising from Distribution of Information by Specified Telecommunications” (abbreviation: Information Distribution Platform Act).

The Act to Partially Amend the Broadcasting Act (Act No. 36 of 2024), which was approved by the 213th ordinary session of the Diet, (i) adds the distribution of NHK's broadcast programs and program-related information to essential operations of NHK in order to provide NHK's broadcast programs continuously and stably even to those who do not have broadcast reception equipment, and (ii) takes measures such as strengthening NHK's obligation to cooperate with measures taken by commercial broadcasters to eliminate poor broadcast reception.

With regard to (i), in order to provide NHK's broadcast programs continuously and stably even to those who do not have broadcast reception equipment, the distribution simultaneous with broadcast and the distribution of broadcasted programs are made mandatory for, in principle, all of NHK's broadcast programs. And in order to meet the public demand and other conditions for the contents of NHK's broadcast programs to be provided in forms suitable for their viewing environment, the distribution of program-related information, that is defined as information that is closely related to the contents of NHK's broadcast programs and consists of materials necessary for editing the broadcast programs, is made mandatory for all or part of NHK's broadcast programs.

In order for NHK to properly carry out the operations of the distribution of program-related information at its own discretion and responsibility, NHK is obligated to formulate and publish operating rules that conform to each requirement of the following (a) through (c), and to periodically evaluate, etc. the status of implementation of the operations:

(a) Necessary and sufficient to satisfy the public demand

(b) Ensuring that information necessary for the physical health and safety of the public is provided promptly and steadily

(c) Ensuring there is no hindrance to fair competition with the distribution and related services conducted by commercial broadcasters or other distributors

Moreover, in order to ensure the fair burden of receiving fees, those who have started receiving distributed broadcast programs or program-related information that NHK provides as essential operations are obligated to conclude a receiving contract with NHK, as the persons who are in the reception environment equivalent to the environment of those who have installed reception equipment for television broadcast of domestic basic broadcasts.

With regard to (ii), from the perspective of NHK fulfilling its role as a platform that contributes to the overall development of broadcasting, NHK's obligation to make best efforts to cooperate with the commercial broadcasters for smooth implementation of measures taken by them to eliminate poor broadcast reception is to be a mandated obligation, and at the same time NHK is to be under an obligation to respond to requests for consultation on specific matters regarding cooperation from NHK mentioned above.