Fans of Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio behind classics like Spirited Away, were thrilled this week when a new version of ChatGPT allowed them to transform popular memes and personal photos into the distinct style of Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki.
However, the trend has also sparked ethical concerns over artificial intelligence tools trained on copyrighted creative works, raising questions about the future of human artists. Miyazaki, 84, known for his hand-drawn animation and whimsical storytelling, has previously expressed skepticism about AI's role in animation.
Janu Lingeswaran, an entrepreneur from Germany, was among the many users experimenting with the tool. He uploaded a photo of his 3-year-old ragdoll cat, Mali, and asked ChatGPT to convert it into the Ghibli style. The result, he said, was stunning.
“I really fell in love with the result,” said Lingeswaran. “We're thinking of printing it out and hanging it on the wall.”
Similar AI-generated Ghibli-style images have surfaced online, including an anime version of Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec at the 2024 Olympics and a reimagining of the famous Disaster Girl meme.
OpenAI Encourages ‘Ghiblification’ Amid Copyright Concerns
ChatGPT creator OpenAI, which is already facing multiple copyright lawsuits over its AI models, has encouraged these “Ghiblification” experiments. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even changed his social media profile picture to a Ghibli-style AI image.
In a technical paper released Tuesday, OpenAI stated that its new image generation tool takes a “conservative approach” when mimicking the styles of individual artists.
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“We added a refusal which triggers when a user attempts to generate an image in the style of a living artist,” the company said. However, it defended the broader use of studio aesthetics, calling the results “truly delightful and inspired original fan creations.”
Studio Ghibli has yet to comment on the trend. The Japanese studio and its North American distributor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Miyazaki’s Past Criticism of AI Resurfaces
As Ghibli-style AI images spread across social media, past comments from Miyazaki about AI-generated animation have resurfaced.
In a 2016 documentary, Miyazaki was shown an AI demo featuring a grotesque, writhing body dragging itself forward. The presenter suggested that AI could create “movements that humans can’t imagine,” which could be useful for horror animations like zombies.
Miyazaki, visibly disturbed, responded by sharing a story about a disabled friend who struggles with simple movements.
“Thinking of him, I can’t watch this stuff and find it interesting,” he said. “Whoever creates this has no idea what pain is.”
He strongly rejected the idea of incorporating AI into his work, saying, “This is an insult to life itself.”
Legal Questions Over AI Training on Ghibli’s Work
The viral Ghibli-style images have reignited concerns over AI’s use of copyrighted material.
Josh Weigensberg, a partner at the law firm Pryor Cashman, said the key legal question is whether OpenAI trained its model on Studio Ghibli’s work without permission.
“Do they have a license or permission to do that training or not?” he asked. OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment on this issue.
Weigensberg noted that while artistic “style” is generally not copyrightable, AI-generated images could still infringe on specific, identifiable elements of Ghibli’s work.
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“You could freeze a frame from Howl’s Moving Castle or Spirited Away and compare it to an AI-generated image to see if there are identical or substantially similar elements,” he explained.
Artist Karla Ortiz, who is suing AI companies for copyright infringement, called the trend “another clear example of how companies like OpenAI just do not care about artists’ work and livelihoods.”
“They are using Ghibli’s branding, their name, their work, their reputation, to promote OpenAI’s products,” she said. “It’s an insult. It’s exploitation.”
Political Controversy Over AI-Generated Ghibli Art
The controversy took a political turn on Thursday when the White House posted a Ghibli-style AI image on its official X account. The image depicted a weeping woman from the Dominican Republic who was recently arrested by U.S. immigration agents.
Ortiz condemned the post, calling it an example of AI being used to exploit and distort real-life struggles.
“To see something as brilliant as Miyazaki’s work butchered to generate something so foul,” she wrote on social media, adding that she hoped Studio Ghibli would take legal action against OpenAI.
Source: With input from agency