What is Ghibli? Here’s the trend that has set off a debate over AI art usage

OpenAI’s ChatGPT has stirred up a trend on X with its GPT-4o model, an image generator that can be used to produce all sorts of stickers, images, memes, art, and so on. The AI giant’s CEO, Sam Altman, tweeted about his new display picture on X, which was a Ghibli style image of him. Soon, everything under the sun was being Ghibli-fied with the help of GPT-4o, from movie scenes to personal photos.

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changed my pfp but maybe someone will make me a better one

— Sam Altman (@sama) March 26, 2025

Studio Ghibli, founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata in 1985, is a Japanese animation studio with a cult following. It is known for its unique animation style, emotional storytelling, and themes of nature and magical realism. Popular films under their banner include “Spirited Away”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”, and “Ponyo”.

GPT-4o has the ability to take any image and make it in the style of Studio Ghibli in a flash. X has thus seen a massive upsurge in memes, movie stills, historical images, etc. being reimagined in the last 24 hours, some of which are seen below.

Nobody asked for Bollywood movie scenes in Ghibli style — but here they are. pic.twitter.com/umiDAA7LNu

— Vivek Choudhary (@ivivekch) March 26, 2025

It's been 24 hours since OpenAI unexpectedly shook the AI image world with 4o image generation.

Here are the 14 most mindblowing examples so far (100% AI-generated):

1. Studio ghibli style memespic.twitter.com/E38mBnPnQh

— Barsee 🐶 (@heyBarsee) March 26, 2025

stop posting ghibli style images! pic.twitter.com/KIpLf58lDT

— joacod (@joacodok) March 26, 2025

no fucking way dude, this studio ghibli thing has gone way too far pic.twitter.com/CVtafrKbFN

— doomer (@uncledoomer) March 26, 2025

The trend has, however, opened up a conversation about why AI art should be condemned, with many users pointing to Ghibli founder Miyazaki’s take on AI. The animator once said about AI, “I am utterly disgusted. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself. I feel like we are nearing the end of times. We humans are losing faith in ourselves.”

For quite some time now AI has been a polarizing topic on social media, with many people being opposed to its use due to a number of reasons, such as its harmful impact on the environment and the damage it causes to human creativity. This trend has brought a new wave of discussions about why the use of AI, especially in the creation of art, must be discouraged.

co-founder of studio ghibli, hayao miyazaki’s reaction to AI generated art btw https://t.co/w9xHfyLVrG pic.twitter.com/EtPkmsgtZt

— kp (@earthlykisssed) March 26, 2025

irony is dead and all but it’s pretty depressing to see Ghibli A.I. slop on the timeline not only because Miyazaki famously thinks A.I. art is disgusting but because he’s spent the last 50 years making art about environmental waste for petty human uses

— Brendan Hodges (@metaplexmovies) March 27, 2025

AI wont make your photos Ghibli. Ghibli is hand drawn and each character has insane emotional depth. As scary it is to admit the result looks decent, it’s nothing like Ghibli and will never be. Big fuck you to AI. This is terrible advancement of technology.

— pelz (@pelziee) March 26, 2025

Every single person posting Ghibli AI has miserably failed to understand Ghibli as an art form

— Rehat (@R3H8T) March 26, 2025