OpenAI Generates Incredible Studio Ghibli Style Images – Hayao Miyazaki 'Utterly Disgusted' With AI Trend

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Key Takeaways

• OpenAI’s ChatGPT, with its GPT-4o update in March 2025, introduced a powerful image-generation tool that lets users easily transform photos into Studio Ghibli’s iconic style.

• However, a core issue is whether AI models were trained on Studio Ghibli’s copyrighted works without permission. Legal experts question if this constitutes infringement, especially since OpenAI has not clarified its training data. While “style” is not copyrightable, specific Ghibli elements might be, stirring debates about artistic ownership.

• Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli’s co-founder, has long criticized AI art, famously calling it “an insult to life itself” in a 2016 documentary. His stance—rooted in the painstaking, human-driven craft of his films—clashes with the AI trend, making it feel disrespectful to fans and artists who share his views.

Do you recognize this art style from somewhere?

That's right! The images above are reminiscent of the nostalgic art style of Studio Ghibli. However, they were not created by the animation studio; they were generated by ChatGPT's recent GPT-4o update.

I get it. Studio Ghibli's art style looks super crisp, and there is a reason why Hayao Miyazaki is considered a master of his craft. The fact that Open AI has been the talk of the town since releasing GPT-4o image generation is no accident, as it has proven to generate some higher quality visuals with many recreations of famous moments in history at the forefront of the new tech.

Notably, it is not the first time AI has been used to make anime-style creations, but it is undoubtedly the first time it has looked decent enough to almost pass for the real thing.

While the filter has gone viral on social media, the new trend has raised some ethical concerns about AI being trained on copyrighted work and what that means for the future livelihoods of human artists.

Studio Ghibli AI Art Drama

OpenAI recently announced a new image generation feature for ChaptGPT called the GPT-4o image generation. The new model is trained to generate images with enhanced accuracy and contextual understanding.

ChatGPT's latest image generator feature has triggered a flood of Ghibli-style AI-generated images. For context, Studio Ghibli is a legendary Japanese animation studio behind classic animated films like My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.

Although it is unclear whether Studio Ghibli permitted OpenAI to use its style, people were pretty quick to jump on the bandwagon, including the White House. 

On X, the AI-generated image shows a weeping alleged felon being handcuffed by a US immigration officer before her deportation.

That said, so many have spoken out against it, arguing that it is taking one of the most beloved art styles in the world and making a mockery of it.

Notably, it can take Studio Ghibli years to create hand-drawn and watercolored scenes with attention to detail and craftsmanship evident in every frame. Seeing it done repeatedly, to the point of oversaturating the internet, makes watching the original films feel less unique as they will ultimately be associated with the AI-generated look.

The fact that many people are adopting the style and creating their own work based on what already exists is likely to upset Miyazaki, especially since he has previously expressed immense dissatisfaction with AI-generated content in 2016.

Miyazaki said at the time:

Final Thoughts

Artificial Intelligence continues to spark ethical debates, as it has proven capable of representing things that do not already exist.

In short, the current trend of AI on the internet has certainly raised questions about the ethics of machine-generated images. While some appreciate the magic of anime being brought into everyday life, others criticize it for devaluing artists by turning their work into mass-produced content.