New York: OpenAI's ChatGPT experienced downtime affecting users worldwide, coinciding with a surge in requests for creating Studio Ghibli-style avatars using the chatbot. The outage was reported by 229 users on DownDetector, with 59% of the complaints linked to ChatGPT. OpenAI introduced its latest image generator in an update on Chat GPT-4o, enabling users to produce images resembling the hand-drawn animation style of Hayao Miyazaki, known for acclaimed films like "Spirited Away" and "The Boy and the Heron".
GPU Strain and Response
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the popularity of Ghibli-style images but expressed concerns over the strain on GPUs. Altman mentioned, "It's super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt, but our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. Hopefully, it won't be long! ChatGPT free tier will get 3 generations per day soon." This response came after users reported issues with the service, with one user asking, "Is ChatGPT down?? Suddenly logged out from the app."
Another user shared frustration, stating, "How do I explain to my prof that I couldn’t make my deadline because ChatGPT is down?" The reliance on ChatGPT was evident as a user expressed feeling isolated, commenting, "Is it me or @OpenAI ChatGPT is kinda down? I feel alone; it’s interesting how it has taken such a huge place in my life.”
OpenAI's Stance and Response
OpenAI, currently entangled in copyright disputes over ChatGPT, has largely supported the trend of "Ghiblification." Altman even changed his social media profile to a Ghibli-style portrait, embracing the creative experimentation. In a recent technical paper, the company emphasized a cautious approach in replicating the artistic styles of various creators.
Following the viral trend, an old video from 2016 resurfaced, revealing Studio Ghibli's iconic director Hayao Miyazaki expressing discontent during an AI demonstration. The English translation of his remarks indicated strong opposition, stating, "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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