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Debate Over ChatGPT’s Studio Ghibli AI Trend: Creativity vs Copyright

Published March 28, 2025

This week, fans of the renowned Japanese animation studio, famous for films like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, were excited about a new feature from ChatGPT. This feature allows users to transform popular internet memes or personal photos into art that resembles the unique style of the studio's founder, Hayao Miyazaki.

While many enjoyed this new creative outlet, it also raised important ethical questions. Concerns were expressed regarding how artificial intelligence tools, which learn from copyrighted material, could impact the future of human artists and the value of original creativity as technology continues to evolve.

At 84 years old, Miyazaki is known for his dedicated hand-drawn style and enchanting stories. He has previously voiced doubts about the use of AI in animation, questioning its artistic validity.

For example, entrepreneur Janu Lingeswaran, who lives in Germany, shared a photo of his 3-year-old ragdoll cat, Mali, and used ChatGPT to convert this picture into a Ghibli-style image. The result was an engaging anime-style image that resembled Mali but brought to mind the carefully crafted cat characters from films like My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. Lingeswaran expressed his joy over the outcome and mentioned plans to print and display it at home.

Other users have shared various images reimagined in the Ghibli style, such as a Turkish athlete casually dressed amid a medal win and the infamous “Disaster Girl” meme, which shows a young girl smiling in front of a house engulfed in flames.

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has largely supported this trending transformation into Ghibli’s art style. The company’s CEO, Sam Altman, even changed his social media profile to a Ghibli-inspired portrait. In a recent study released by the company, it was stated that their approach would be “conservative” about how they imitate individual artists' aesthetics.

OpenAI did clarify that they would not allow images in the style of living artists but would permit the use of broader studio styles, leading to a variety of fan-generated creations that brought joy to many.

Despite this, Studio Ghibli has not officially commented on the trend, and inquiries to the studio and its North American distributor did not receive immediate responses.

As Ghibli-style images flooded social media, users began to discuss Miyazaki's previous critiques of AI-generated animation and the potential misalignment with his artistic vision. In a notable 2016 meeting, he expressed his disgust toward AI technology, suggesting that using it to produce animation was fundamentally flawed. He criticized the disconnect between AI-generated art and the real human emotion and experience, stating, “I can't find it interesting.”

An artist shared on social media how disheartening it was to see Ghibli's aesthetics used in a way that contradicted Miyazaki’s principles. He was known for creating works that reflect humanity and environmental concerns, and a growing sentiment among fans seems to echo the idea that using AI art to serve commercial interests undermines these core ideals.

Additionally, concerns emerged regarding the environmental impact of AI technology. A study indicated that AI systems contribute to significant emissions, particularly given the energy required to operate them. For instance, GPT-4, OpenAI’s latest model, reportedly uses much more energy in comparison to earlier versions.

Some users were particularly upset when they saw the official U.S. government account leveraging the Ghibli style to create images depicting negative scenarios, such as the arrest and deportation of immigrants. This raised questions about the ethical implications of associating Studio Ghibli's beloved style with such somber themes.

There has also been backlash to an AI-generated trailer for a live-action adaptation of the 1997 film Princess Mononoke, which reimagined the movie using CGI instead of traditional animation. Fans swiftly criticized this adaptation, arguing that it stripped away the essence of the original artwork.

Legal experts have pointed out the complications surrounding copyright laws in relation to AI-generated art. Josh Weigensberg, a law firm partner, noted that it remains unclear whether OpenAI received proper licenses to train their AI on Studio Ghibli’s works. He emphasized that while a generalized style may not be copyrightable, specific elements used within that style might warrant legal consideration.

Artist Karla Ortiz, who is currently involved in a lawsuit against other AI art generators, criticized OpenAI for not valuing artists' rights and livelihoods. She argued that using Ghibli's brand and style without consent is a clear form of exploitation.

The ongoing discourse surrounding AI in the art world raises significant questions about the future of creativity, copyright, and the impact of technology on the artistic landscape.