The internet is buzzing with a new AI-powered trend: Studio Ghibli-style image generation. ChatGPT’s latest update allows users to transform their photos into dreamy, hand-drawn scenes inspired by the iconic Japanese animation studio. Since its release, this tool has gone viral, with netizens, businesses, and even political figures jumping on board. However, the trend has also sparked controversy, with critics questioning its ethical and legal implications.

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What is Ghibli Art? A look at its origins

Studio Ghibli, founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, is a legendary Japanese animation studio known for its breathtaking storytelling and unique hand-drawn animation style. Films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke have captivated audiences worldwide with their pastel colour palettes, intricate details, and dreamy fantasy worlds.

Ghibli’s art style is distinctive and labour-intensive, relying heavily on hand-painted backgrounds and fluid character movements. Unlike modern digital animation, which often uses shortcuts, Ghibli’s films maintain a handcrafted charm that makes them stand out. This dedication to artistry is why many fans and animators are concerned about AI replicating the style effortlessly.

Ghibli art’s unprecedented virality overloads ChatGPT servers

On March 25, 2025, OpenAI announced its latest image-generation feature, allowing users—both free and paid—to create Studio Ghibli-style artwork. The response was overwhelming, with social media platforms flooded with AI-transformed movie posters, selfies, and even historical moments. The popularity of the feature was so intense that it crashed ChatGPT’s servers, leading to a global outage.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took to X to address the issue, jokingly asking users to “chill” on generating images because their team needs sleep. As a temporary measure, OpenAI restricted free users to three image generations per day, while paid users continued to have unlimited access.

Effects on designers: The AI vs. human creativity debate

While many users are thrilled with the new feature, professional animators and designers have raised concerns about its impact on the creative industry. Creating Ghibli-style artwork traditionally requires years of skill and effort, but AI can now generate similar images in seconds. This raises questions about the future of traditional animation and whether AI will replace human artists.

Many designers fear that AI-generated art could devalue their work, making it harder for emerging artists to find jobs. Even Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli’s co-founder, has strongly criticised AI-generated art, calling it “an insult to life itself.”

Is AI-generated Ghibli art ethical? 

While many users are thrilled with the new feature, others—especially Studio Ghibli fans—have raised concerns about the ethics of AI-generated art. Some argue that using AI to replicate Ghibli’s distinctive style devalues the work of real artists who spent decades perfecting the craft. 

There’s also the legal side of the debate. While copyright laws protect specific works, they do not cover artistic styles, making it difficult for Ghibli to take legal action. However, some experts believe the studio could sue OpenAI if they prove that its AI was trained on Ghibli’s copyrighted content. The situation remains legally uncertain as AI-generated content continues to push the boundaries of intellectual property laws.

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What’s next for AI-generated art?

The Ghibli AI art trend highlights both the excitement and challenges of AI-powered creativity. While it offers users a fun and innovative way to express themselves, it also raises important questions about artistic ownership, ethics, and copyright protection. As AI tools become more advanced, similar debates will likely emerge across various industries.

For now, OpenAI continues to fine-tune its system to handle the massive demand while the debate over AI-generated art rages on. Will the trend fade, or is it just the beginning of a new era in digital creativity? Only time will tell.