SAN FRANCISCO: The recent surge in AI-generated artwork inspired by Studio Ghibli has driven a record increase in ChatGPT users, causing strain on OpenAI’s servers and forcing temporary restrictions on its image-generation tool.
The trend gained global traction as social media users shared AI-generated images mimicking the hand-drawn style of the renowned Japanese animation studio, founded by director Hayao Miyazaki and known for classics like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
According to market research firm Similarweb, the number of weekly active users surpassed 150 million for the first time this year. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted the unprecedented growth, revealing in a post on X that “one million users were added in the last hour,” a sharp contrast to the five days it took to reach the same milestone after ChatGPT’s initial launch over two years ago.
Data from SensorTower showed that active users, app downloads, and in-app subscription revenue all hit record highs last week. Global app downloads rose by 11 per cent, weekly active users increased by 5 per cent, and in-app purchase revenue climbed 6 per cent compared to the previous week.
However, the surge in traffic has caused technical issues, with users experiencing glitches and brief outages. OpenAI acknowledged the challenges, stating that service disruptions and delays in new releases could be expected as the company works to manage the increased demand.
The popularity of AI-generated Ghibli-style art has also sparked discussions about potential copyright concerns. While copyright law generally protects specific works rather than artistic styles, legal experts suggest the situation remains uncertain. “The legal implications of AI-generated images imitating Studio Ghibli’s unique style are still unclear,” said Evan Brown, a partner at law firm Neal & McDevitt.
Meanwhile, resurfaced comments from Miyazaki have reignited the debate over AI in art. In a 2016 interview, he reacted negatively to AI-generated images, stating, “I am utterly disgusted. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all.”
OpenAI has yet to comment on the data sources used to train its AI models or the legal concerns surrounding its latest feature.
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