ChatGPT’s Ghibli-style AI images are everywhere. But who started this trend?
The trend of AI-generated images in the Ghibli art style gained popularity through social media platforms due to OpenAI's image-generation tool on ChatGPT. This has sparked discussions about copyright infringement and ethical considerations surrounding the use of artificial intelligence. Despite the debates, the trend continues to grow and gain momentum with no signs of slowing down. The origins and evolution of this trend have intrigued many users and sparked curiosity about its inception.
By now, the Ghibli-style AI art trend needs no introduction. It’s everywhere on social media. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Amitabh Bachchan to Elon Musk, several personalities have participated in it. Amid the craze, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has also come under fire from fans of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki, who criticize the trend and have opened discussions about the ethical concerns surrounding AI tools trained on copyrighted creative works.
The Trendsetter
Grant Slatton, a software engineer based in Seattle, played a major role in popularizing this trend. On Tuesday afternoon, shortly after OpenAI introduced its upgraded image-generation tools, he posted a photo on X featuring his family and dog at the beach, transformed into an animated style. His tweet quickly gained traction, with retweets and replies pouring in as others experimented with the feature. As of writing, it has received 45,000 likes and nearly 49 million views.
Speaking to Business Insider, Slatton said he has been flooded with messages from X users sharing their own attempts. Slatton had previously created an animation-style image of his family in December 2023, but at the time, OpenAI’s DALL-E model required a highly detailed prompt to achieve the desired look. However, ChatGPT generated the new image with a quick and easy prompt of “convert to studio ghibli please,” he told BI.
About Ghibli Art
If you are still confused about what Ghibli art is, we will break it down for you. Founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, Studio Ghibli is an animation studio known for its stunning visuals and compelling storytelling. The studio has built a global fanbase with its signature hand-drawn animation, meticulous attention to detail, and deeply emotional narratives.
Some of its most iconic films include My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Princess Mononoke. A Ghibli-style portrait captures the essence of Studio Ghibli’s distinctive aesthetic. It features hand-drawn characters, soft pastel or muted color tones, intricate details in both foreground and background, and an overarching sense of magic or wonder.
Ethical Concerns
Concerns have been raised over the ethical and copyright issues surrounding the replication of a particular artist or studio’s style - an ongoing debate in the artificial intelligence industry. Legal experts state that OpenAI’s actions fall into a legal grey area. Evan Brown, an intellectual property lawyer from the US-based firm Neal & McDevitt, told TechCrunch that artistic style is not explicitly safeguarded under copyright laws.
This suggests that OpenAI is not legally infringing on any rights by creating images resembling Studio Ghibli’s work. However, courts are still deliberating whether AI developers should be held accountable for training their models using copyrighted content. In a technical paper published last week, OpenAI stated that its latest 4o tool follows a “conservative approach” when recreating the artistic styles of individuals, according to the Associated Press (AP).