Islamabad, Apr 4, 2025: A recent surge in artificial intelligence-generated artwork replicating the signature visual style of Studio Ghibli has led to an unprecedented increase in ChatGPT usage.
This unexpected demand has put immense pressure on OpenAI’s servers, forcing the company to impose temporary restrictions on its image-generation tool.
Viral Trend Fuels Unprecedented Growth
The trend began when social media users started sharing AI-generated images that closely resembled the hand-drawn animation of beloved Ghibli films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
As excitement grew, the number of active ChatGPT users skyrocketed, surpassing 150 million weekly users, according to Similarweb. This represents the highest user engagement recorded so far this year.
Read More: OpenAI Secures $40 Billion, Company Valued at $300 Billion
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that within a single hour, one million new users joined the platform—an astonishing rate of growth.
To put this in perspective, when ChatGPT first launched more than two years ago, it took five days to reach that milestone.
ChatGPT App Hits Record-Breaking Downloads and Revenue
Analytics firm SensorTower reported that the ChatGPT app saw a significant boost across multiple metrics last week.
Global downloads surged by 11%, weekly active users increased by 5%, and in-app purchase revenue climbed by 6% compared to the previous week.
OpenAI Struggles to Keep Up with Demand
The overwhelming influx of users has led to system slowdowns and occasional outages.
Many users experienced delays, prompting OpenAI to implement temporary restrictions on its image-generation tool to stabilize performance.
The company acknowledged the challenges and suggested that upcoming features might be delayed as they work to scale infrastructure and manage demand.
Legal and Ethical Concerns Surface
The widespread creation of AI-generated artwork inspired by Studio Ghibli has sparked debates about copyright infringement.
While copyright laws typically protect individual works rather than artistic styles, legal experts argue that the issue remains legally complex.
Attorney Evan Brown of Neal & McDevitt stated, “The legal ramifications of AI-generated images mimicking Studio Ghibli’s aesthetic are still uncertain.”
Hayao Miyazaki’s Past Criticism Resurfaces
As the trend continues to gain momentum, a 2016 interview with legendary Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki has resurfaced. In the interview, Miyazaki strongly criticized AI-generated visuals, stating, “I am utterly disgusted.
I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all.”
So far, OpenAI has not clarified whether its models were trained on Ghibli-style images or addressed concerns regarding copyright or data sourcing for its AI-generated visuals.
As the discussion around AI and artistic integrity evolves, industry experts are watching closely to see how the situation unfolds.
