ChatGPT's tempting Studio Ghibli rip-offs: art or theft?

ChatGPT is igniting social media with Ghibli-inspired creations that blur the lines between homage and imitation.

As ChatGPT integrated its cutting-edge new image generator, a tidal wave of Studio Ghibli-esque images started circulating on social media.

Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese animation studio behind classics like Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro, has long been celebrated for its breathtaking artistry and emotional depth.

Users began uploading photos, transforming them into Ghibli-style artworks with a vivid, whimsical touch.

The idea was thrilling – many took to social media to showcase these AI-generated versions of their photos, reveling in the magic of the Ghibli-inspired aesthetic.

ChatGPT was used to conjure up magical transformations of themselves and those closest and dearest: pets included.

ok, OpenAI did indeed cook with their recent release. there's supposed to be an experimental Gemini that should be able to do the same thing, but it can't. prompt: turn this photo into a Ghibli style image, a frame from an animation

[image or embed]

undefined tachikoma (@tachikoma.elsewhereunbound.com) March 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM

However, not all users could generate these images, fueling speculation that such a niche feature – with obvious copyright concerns – might only be available to premium users.

After a scramble to generate many kinds of art, with celebrities in various situations, it became clearer that the AI platform gives preferential treatment to paid subscribers.

The Ghibli prompt works for the majority of cases, but not with photos with too much complexity - for example drinking cartons of water with your mates in Venice, with sophisticated architecture in the background - like I tried.

Many posters took to Chat GPT to memeify recent events and even generate Ghibli versions of existing memes, referencing popular culture.

It's been 24 hours since OpenAI unexpectedly shook the AI image world with 4o image generation.

Here are the 14 most mindblowing examples so far (100% AI-generated):

1. Studio ghibli style memespic.twitter.com/E38mBnPnQh

undefined Barsee 🐶 (@heyBarsee) March 26, 2025

Magic lost in imitation

The primary reaction from the majority of users was astonishment at how authentic and effective the AI was at mimicking the Ghibli style. One Bluesky user, Yann Novak, shared his mixed feelings about the experience:

“I both hate myself for boiling a bit of the ocean for this, and could not resist because I just woke up in Tokyo for a 10-day vacation,” he confessed.

I both hate myself for boiling a bit of the ocean for this, and could not resist because I just woke up in Tokyo for a 10 day vacation with @robert.takahashinovak.com and am feeling extremely excited for some R&R.

[image or embed]

undefined Yann Novak (@yannnovak.com) March 27, 2025 at 1:25 AM

But some users were much more forthright in their reaction. On Reddit, one user expressed dismay at what they saw as a violation of Studio Ghibli's artistic integrity:

"It’s honestly disgusting how AI is being used to rip off Studio Ghibli’s work. Their art isn’t just some ‘style’ for people to copy. It’s the result of decades of passion, skill, and effort. Now, people are churning out lifeless AI-generated imitations in seconds, probably trained on stolen artwork without a second thought,” dismayed one user.

Comment
byu/Radish-Diligent from discussion
intechnology

The ethical backlash is not a new development – in 2016, Hayao Miyazaki criticized AI-generated art in an NHK documentary, "NHK Special: Hayao Miyazaki – The Man Who Is Not Done," calling it "an insult to life itself" after being shown an AI animation experiment.

"I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel this is an insult to life itself," Miyazaki said at the time.

As Miyazaki created Studio Ghibli in June 1985, the creators are approaching their fourth decade in the game - a very opportune moment for the debate of AI in art to be raised.

GPT-4o’s improvements are said to be in its ability to understand complex prompts, generating more nuanced and detailed images. But the central question remains: Is this tool truly creating art, or is it simply an advanced remixing tool?

In music, remixing typically requires obtaining the artist’s permission or clearance before using their sample. Perhaps the same approach should apply here – a conversation with the original creator about their craft, honed over decades, being plundered simply to give your dog a Ghibli makeover.