GKIDS Talks About Ghibli Art Style After AI Wave

The legal battle over the use of copyrighted content to train artificial intelligence has taken a new turn. A U.S. district judge ruled last Thursday that The New York Times and other newspaper groups can proceed with a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft. The goal is to prevent these companies from using news content to train AI tools like ChatGPT.

Following the ruling, OpenAI stated that it welcomed the dismissal of several claims and reaffirmed its commitment to building AI models using publicly available data, in compliance with fair use principles and in support of innova

The ruling comes shortly after OpenAI launched GPT-4o, its most advanced AI model. The company stated that it implemented a restriction preventing users from generating images in the style of living artists. However, it also clarified that it allows broader studio styles, leading users to create and share artwork inspired by iconic animation styles.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even encouraged the use of the tool to transform photos into Studio Ghibli-style illustrations. He changed his X (formerly Twitter) profile picture to a “Ghibli-fied” AI-generated image, sparking a trend where users recreated famous memes and personal photos in the same style.

GKIDS Talks About Ghibli Art Style After AI Wave

During the IMAX screening of the 4K restoration of Princess Mononoke, GKIDS Vice President of Distribution Chance Huskey commented on the value of traditional animation in contrast to technological advancements. He emphasized that audiences still appreciate cinematic experiences that honor the artistry of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki has long voiced his disapproval of AI in animation, even before the rise of generative AI. In the 2016 documentary Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, he described an AI-generated animation demo as “an insult to life itself” and stated he had no intention of incorporating such technology into his work.

As of now, Studio Ghibli has not issued an official statement on the use of AI to recreate its artistic style.