Becoming a VTuber has always been costly for beginners, but trying to cut costs with AI often backfires. The launch of the VTuber Original Character Maker software promised to revolutionize the industry by turning a simple 2D illustration into a fully functional 3D model for a fraction of the usual cost. However, the tool quickly sparked outrage among digital artists and Live2D creators, who warned about serious copyright risks and poor-quality results.

Developed by creator Sato Dai under the Sumeragi firm, the software hit the market for Windows and macOS as a free download. The program’s main appeal is its ability to generate front, side, and back views of a character from a single image, applying automatic rigging and lip-syncing via the user’s microphone. While basic streaming functions are free, 3D model generation is paid via a points system costing about 2,000 yen per basic package, allowing users to get a pair of avatars with facial expressions.

The issue exploded when users and professionals tested the app. The gap between promotional examples and real creations was huge, yielding rigid and distorted models far from ready for professional streams. Additionally, the tool uses external generative AI services, raising alarms about verifying whether users upload their own art or steal others’ illustrations, putting intellectual property at risk.

In today’s virtual entertainment industry, commissioning a custom model from an illustrator and rigger typically costs between 100,000 and 400,000 yen. This price reflects months of craftsmanship to ensure smooth movements, unique expressions, and fully protected commercial usage rights. The rise of low-cost apps promising to bypass this process has reignited debates about devaluing artistic work and the dangers of relying on algorithms that don’t guarantee avatar originality.

With visually disappointing results and the collective anger of the art community, do you think these AI apps will ultimately impact designers’ work, or will audiences always prefer a professionally handmade model?