OpenAI's Studio Ghibli-inspired AI art provokes backlash across the internet
OpenAI released a new image generator this week, and AI-generated Studio Ghibli slop is now all over the internet.
In the livestream demo of the native image generation in ChatGPT and Sora, OpenAI took a selfie and asked the new generator to turn it into an anime frame. The result looked a lot like art from a Studio Ghibli film. It went viral, despite some social media users pointing out the potential copyright violations. All the while, Hayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, has been vocally disgusted by the use of AI in art.
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In a clip from the 2016 documentary series Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, the director behind classics like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, said of AI: "Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever. I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself."
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But the internet doesn't all agree that fury and disgust is the only response. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, changed his profile photo to a Ghibli-style photo of himself.
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Many users on X have also been using the tool to create their own Studio Ghibli-style "art" and memes.
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While the new image generator in ChatGPT has been lauded by some for its ability to mimic distinct visual styles, its impact raises key questions about the fine line between innovation and infringement — especially when it comes to the outspoken desires of artists like Miyazaki.
Topics X/Twitter
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
