Studio Ghibli has denied issuing a cease-and-desist letter that recently circulated on social media, falsely claiming the studio was taking legal action against a photo-sharing app that generates images in a Ghibli-style using AI.
The controversy started when a large number of users began sharing AI-generated images that imitate the iconic hand-drawn look of Studio Ghibli’s animated films. The trend gained momentum following OpenAI’s recent announcement of new image-generation capabilities integrated into its ChatGPT platform, which enabled users to easily create stylized artwork that can imitate Ghibli.
On March 26, a user on X (formerly Twitter) announced the release of an app that converts any photograph into a Ghibli-style illustration. The following day, the same user posted what they claimed to be an official warning letter from Studio Ghibli, stating that the app infringed on the studio’s copyright and would be subject to legal action unless taken down.
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The image quickly spread across social media, with NHK reporting that several media outlets published stories based on the document, claiming Studio Ghibli had formally intervened. However, when contacted by NHK, Studio Ghibli confirmed that the letter was not authentic. “We have not issued any warning letter,” the studio told them, dismissing the circulating document as a fabrication.
Studio Ghibli has not commented further on whether it plans to take any action in response to the unauthorized use of its visual style in AI-generated content.
Source: NHK
Featured image: My Neighbor Totoro © 1988 Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli
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