A new ‘trend’ has gone viral on social media
People are using a new version of ChatGPT to transform images of themselves, their pets, films, or memes in the distinct style of Studio Ghibli, the acclaimed Japanese animation studio behind Spirited Away. While it all began in fun, the frenzy took a darker turn soon with governments and individuals using it for controversial posts. The trend has also raised copyright concerns and the debate over artificial intelligence (AI) mimicking the creative works of artists. Let’s take a closer look.
ChatGPT’s Ghibli-style images flood the internet
OpenAI recently launched ChatGPT’s new AI image generator called 4o, an upgrade from its DALL-E 3 service. Soon, the internet was flooded with Ghibli-style images as people used GPT-4o’s image generator to convert their personal photos or popular memes into the distinct style of Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki. Ghibli-style images of various individuals, including the chill Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Elon Musk, US President Donald Trump, and movie scenes, took over social media.
The Ghibli version of popular memes like the “Disaster Girl” of a 4-year-old looking into the camera with a slight smile as a house burns in the background was also shared. ChatGPT maker OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman joined the viral trend and changed his profile into a Ghibli-style portrait, joking about the overwhelming demand for Ghibli-style images.
Copyright concerns and controversy
While ChatGPT’s paid service, available with the new 4o tool, is generating AI images in the style of Studio Ghibli, its older DALL-E 3 image-generation tool that has free service refused the request, as per a Business Insider report. Citing copyright laws, ChatGPT stated that it cannot generate images in the style of Studio Ghibli due to copyright protection of the animation studio’s artistic style.
Legal experts have weighed in on the matter, stating that what OpenAI has done falls in a grey area concerning copyright laws. While the style itself is not explicitly protected by copyright, questions arise regarding the use of the Japanese studio’s creative works to train AI models. Many are debating whether AI developers are liable for using copyrighted materials to train their models.
OpenAI’s response and controversy
In a technical paper, OpenAI mentioned taking a “conservative approach” in imitating the aesthetics of individual artists with its new 4o tool, but permitting broader studio styles for creating original fan creations. Artist Karla Ortiz, who is suing other AI image generators for copyright infringement, criticized OpenAI for exploiting Ghibli’s branding and work without considering the impact on artists.
Studio Ghibli’s stance and reactions
Studio Ghibli in Japan has not addressed the issue yet. Some users upset with the trend of AI creating images like Ghibli’s works shared old videos of Miyazaki expressing his disdain for AI technology. Miyazaki emphasized his disapproval of incorporating such technology into his work, stating that it is an insult to life itself.
