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ChatGPT transforms everything into Studio Ghibli-style art—things got weird quickly.
A viral trend using ChatGPT’s AI image generation feature has led users to create Studio Ghibli-style versions of portraits, pets, and even controversial historical moments. While OpenAI restricts copying the styles of living artists, users have found workarounds to generate images of real people, including public figures. This has sparked concerns about copyright, ethical AI use, and artistic integrity. Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki has strongly criticized AI-generated art, calling it an insult to life itself.
The trend of turning images into Studio Ghibli-style art started innocently, with people transforming their portraits, pets, and family photos into anime-inspired versions. This AI-generated artwork functions like digital commissions on platforms like Etsy—allowing users to see themselves in their favorite animation style.
However, things escalated quickly. Users began recreating controversial historical events, including 9/11, JFK’s assassination, and even political figures like Donald Trump, Sam Altman, and Jensen Huang in whimsical Ghibli style. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even embraced the trend, changing his profile picture to an AI-generated Ghibli version of himself.
Despite OpenAI’s policies restricting the replication of living artists' styles, the system still allows broader artistic interpretations. While AI won’t directly generate images of real individuals, users can often bypass these restrictions with creative prompts. For example, a request describing a well-known tech executive in vague terms resulted in an image that strongly resembled Mark Zuckerberg.
OpenAI has faced legal challenges regarding copyright and likeness issues, with figures like Scarlett Johansson threatening legal action over AI-generated voices. Meanwhile, famous animated styles from Rick & Morty, The Simpsons, and Wallace and Gromit have also been replicated, raising concerns over how AI accesses and learns from copyrighted content.
Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki has been vocal in his criticism of AI-generated art. In 2016, after being shown an AI-created animation, he called it "disgusting" and an "insult to life itself," a sentiment echoed by many artists worried about AI's impact on creative industries.
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