‘Ghibli Effect’ Sparks Record ChatGPT Usage After Viral AI Art Trend

News Desk

Islamabad: A surge in the use of ChatGPT followed the viral popularity of its new image-generation tool, which allows users to create AI art in the signature hand-drawn style of Studio Ghibli. The overwhelming demand last week led to record-breaking user numbers, straining OpenAI’s servers and prompting temporary restrictions on the feature.

Social media platforms were flooded with AI-generated images mimicking the aesthetic of the legendary Japanese animation studio, co-founded by acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki and known for classics such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.

According to market research firm Similarweb, average weekly active users surpassed 150 million for the first time this year.

“We added one million users in the last hour,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday—drawing a stark comparison to ChatGPT’s initial launch, which took five days to reach the same milestone.

Data from analytics firm SensorTower confirmed that active users, app downloads, and in-app subscription revenue hit all-time highs last week. Global app downloads and weekly active users increased by 11 percent and 5 percent, respectively, while in-app purchases rose by 6 percent compared to the previous week.

However, the surge in traffic has caused recurring glitches and temporary outages.

“We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges,” Altman said on Tuesday.

Legal Concerns Over AI-Generated Art

The widespread use of AI to replicate Studio Ghibli’s distinctive artistic style has also raised concerns about potential copyright violations.

“The legal landscape surrounding AI-generated images that mimic Studio Ghibli is uncertain. Copyright law traditionally protects specific expressions rather than artistic styles,” said Evan Brown, a partner at the law firm Neal & McDevitt.

OpenAI has not responded to questions regarding the data used to train its AI models or the legality of its latest image-generation tool.

Amid the ongoing debate, comments from Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki resurfaced. In 2016, after being shown an early AI-generated animation, Miyazaki expressed strong disapproval.

“I am utterly disgusted,” he had said at the time. “I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all.”