Fans of Studio Ghibli were thrilled recently when a new functionality in ChatGPT, an advanced AI tool, enabled them to convert popular internet memes or personal photos into the distinctive animation style of the legendary Japanese studio’s founder, Hayao Miyazaki. However, this trend also reignited debates regarding the ethics surrounding artificial intelligence technologies that are trained on copyrighted content and the implications for the careers of human artists. Miyazaki, 84, celebrated for his hand-drawn methods and imaginative narratives, has previously voiced skepticism about the use of AI in animation.
Janu Lingeswaran, an entrepreneur from near Aachen, Germany, was unaware of these debates when he uploaded a photo of his 3-year-old ragdoll cat, Mali, to the new ChatGPT image generator on Wednesday. He requested a transformation into Ghibli style, receiving an anime depiction of Mali that echoed the painstakingly crafted cat characters from Miyazaki’s films like “My Neighbor Totoro” or “Kiki’s Delivery Service.”
“I really fell in love with the result,” said Lingeswaran, adding that he planned to print and display it in his home.
This tool also turned iconic images into Ghibli artworks, such as Turkish pistol shooter Yusuf Dikec in a casual pose on his way to an Olympic silver medal and the famous “Disaster Girl” meme showcasing a young girl with a sly smile against a backdrop of a house fire.
OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT and currently embroiled in copyright litigations over its flagship chat model, has largely welcomed these “Ghiblification” adventures. CEO Sam Altman even changed his social media profile picture to a Ghibli-themed portrait. In a technical disclosure released on Tuesday, the company stated that the new tool adopts a “conservative approach” when echoing the aesthetics of individual artists.
“We added a refusal mechanism that triggers when a user attempts to create an image in the style of a living artist,” the statement said. Nonetheless, the company noted that it “permits broader studio styles, inspiring fans to create and share delightful original fan art.” Studio Ghibli in Japan did not comment.
Despite the flood of user-generated Ghibli-style images on social media, Miyazaki’s criticism of AI resurfaced. In a 2016 documentary, the animation legend expressed dismay at an AI demo showing a grotesque body animation. Miyazaki, referencing a friend with disabilities, condemned the demo, stating he could not support integrating such technologies into his work, seeing it as an affront to life itself.
Attorney Josh Weigensberg of the Pryor Cashman firm highlighted a critical issue—whether the AI was trained on Ghibli’s creations without a proper license, echoing potential licensing conflicts if commercial use occurred without appropriate permissions.
Karla Ortiz, an artist pursuing legal action against other AI image generators, emphasized the perceived disrespect and exploitation of artists’ rights through these technologies. She criticized the use of Studio Ghibli’s brand and associated elements to promote OpenAI’s offerings without acknowledgment or justification.
Ortiz’s frustration peaked when the White House joined the meme trend, sharing a Ghibli-style image of a woman at odds with U.S. immigration—a move contrary to the values she associates with Miyazaki’s art. Neither the White House nor OpenAI provided immediate comments on the creation of this contested image.
—Providence, Rhode Island, and Tokyo-based reporters contributed to this report.