This week, ChatGPT creators OpenAI unexpectedly released the latest version of its image generator tech, built into GPT-40, which features a “natively multimodal model capable of precise, accurate, photorealistic outputs.” GenAI enthusiasts quickly realized they were able to create images with a “Studio Ghibli style,” flooding the net with Ghiblified selfies, famous film stills, memes and more disturbing content like recreations of the September 11th attacks, the capture of Sadam Hussein and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The trend is likely unwelcome to Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki (The Boy and the Heron, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro), who in a 2016 documentary responded to an AI animation demonstration with, “I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all … I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.”
Critical tech watch outlet 404 Media points out that while using GenAI to mimic recognizable styles, such as Ghibli or The Simpsons or other widely shared animated content, is not new, the viral eruption this week “shows how far OpenAI, the company that started the current generative AI boom, and one that artists and publishers are currently suing for infringing on their copyrighted work, is willing to go in terms stealing from artists and content guardrails on its AI tools.”
An OpenAI spokesperson told 404 Media, “Our goal is to give users as much creative freedom as possible. We continue to prevent generations in the style of individual living artists, but we do permit broader studio styles — which people have used to generate and share some truly delightful and inspired original fan creations. We’re always learning from real world use and feedback and we’ll keep refining our policies as we go.”
OpenAI founder Sam Altman has even changed his X profile picture to his “Ghibli twink meme” portrait.
[Sources: Variety, 404 Media]
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