Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve seen your social media feeds flooded with dreamy, hand-drawn-style portraits. From fans to Bollywood celebrities, everyone seems to be jumping on the latest trend—turning iconic film moments and personal pictures into images inspired by Studio Ghibli’s signature animation style.
What exactly is this Ghibli trend?
It all started with ChatGPT’s latest image-generation tool, which can instantly turn any photo into a Ghibli-style creation with just the right prompt. Instagram, X, Facebook—you name it—are full of ‘Ghibli-fied’ snaps. While many see it as a tribute to Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary animation style, others believe it’s crossing the line.
For long-time fans, these AI-made images are a way to honour the meticulously crafted works of Miyazaki, whose films take years to make, every frame drawn with immense care and precision. But with OpenAI now offering users the power to mimic his style in seconds, a growing number of voices are raising concerns about creativity, ethics and copyright.
The debate has become especially heated as artists, musicians and filmmakers weigh in:
Singer and composer Vishal Dadlani didn’t mince his words, calling the trend “AI plagiarisation”. On Instagram, he wrote: “Sorry I'm not sharing any of the Studio Ghibli style images you guys have made of or for me. I just can't bring myself to support AI's plagiarisation of an artist's life's work." He also touched upon another pressing issue—the environmental impact of AI—saying, “Not to mention, the environmental horror that those images are. Please do NOT make any more. Thank you."
Singer Armaan Malik echoed similar sentiments. When a fan asked him during an AMA on X whether he’d tried Ghibli art, he replied, “I thought it was a cute thing when it began but I don’t like the fact that the original Ghibli Studio design language was being horribly misused. I don’t like when creators and artists gets taken advantage of.”
Hollywood’s new friend? AI on the big screen
While AI is taking over social media feeds with dreamy filters, it’s also quietly making its way into the very heart of Hollywood. What was once seen as the villain in science fiction is now becoming a studio’s right hand. AI is being used for visual effects, voice manipulation and even fine-tuning actors’ performances.
At the 2025 Oscars, films like Emilia Perez and The Brutalist showcased AI’s growing role in filmmaking. Adrian Brody won the Academy Award for Best Actor with help from AI, which refined his Hungarian accent in The Brutalist. Technology is even helping to de-age actors like Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford for the screen.
But while some embrace AI as a filmmaking revolution, others are pushing back—hard
Over 400 Hollywood stars urged Donald Trump to protect artists' copyrighted work
Just weeks ago, over 400 Hollywood stars—including Paul McCartney, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Ava DuVernay, and Guillermo del Toro—signed a letter urging the US government to protect copyright from being eroded by AI. As per Deadline, the letter arrived in response to tech giants OpenAI and Google submitting proposals for an AI Action Plan to the Trump administration.
The letter warned, “America’s global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries.” It highlighted that the entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million jobs and brings in over $229 billion in wages annually. The celebrities accused AI companies of “undermining this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations.”
Names like Bette Midler, Paul Giamatti, Rosario Dawson, Ayo Edebiri, Dan Levy, and Justine Bateman also appeared on the list of signatories, standing firm in their opposition.
As per BBC, the real issue isn’t the technology, but those who are building it. AI models are often trained using publicly available data, which includes copyrighted works shared online, sometimes without the creators’ knowledge or permission. OpenAI, Google and other tech giants are now facing several lawsuits from writers, actors and news organisations, all claiming their work has been used without consent. Writers have also urged studios like Paramount, Disney and Universal to step in, but so far, none have taken legal action. Meanwhile, tech giants are asking the government to classify copyrighted material as ‘fair use’ so it can legally be used to train AI—arguing that this is essential to stay ahead in the global AI race, especially against countries like China.
What jobs in film industry could AI take over? Here’s what ChatGPT answered
When asked which roles in the entertainment industry AI could easily take over or automate, OpenAI’s ChatGPT provided a detailed list. Some of the most vulnerable areas include basic scriptwriting, such as formula-based stories, children’s shows, or low-budget thrillers. AI can produce fast drafts, though it still struggles with emotional depth. It can also assist with storyboarding and concept art using tools like Midjourney or DALL·E, helping directors visualise scenes quickly.
Background animation and CGI extras are also easy targets. AI can create entire crowds, fantasy landscapes or city scenes without needing teams of animators. Other areas include dubbing and voiceovers, where AI can replicate voices in various languages—or even bring back the voices of late actors.
Subtitling, translations, and editing assistance—like picking the best shots for a trailer or colour grading—can also be handled by AI efficiently. Even casting suggestions can be made using algorithms based on scripts and past performances.
However, roles like directing, acting, cinematography, and production design are still difficult to replace. While AI can support these jobs, the creativity, emotion, and artistic eye of a human being remain irreplaceable—for now.
‘Nothing will be original’: Amar Kaushik sounds the alarm
Filmmaker Amar Kaushik, known for ‘Stree’ and its hit sequel, shared his views in a chat with Komal Nahata. “Artificial intelligence cannot replace writers. It's the work of the mind… Your originality will not be there… Some or the other person will catch you. Okay, it took this from that film… So nothing will be original. And the human brain has the power to produce original.”
Miyazaki’s warning: ‘An insult to life itself’
Perhaps no voice on this topic has been as strong as Hayao Miyazaki’s himself. Years ago, the master animator said he found AI in animation “utterly disgusting” and called it “an insult to life itself.” He firmly stated that he would “never wish to incorporate this technology into [his] work at all.” Yet today, AI-generated content in his style is everywhere.
As the lines between homage and theft continue to blur, the question looms more extensive than ever: is AI paying tribute, or is it robbing artists of their life’s work?
What exactly is this Ghibli trend?
It all started with ChatGPT’s latest image-generation tool, which can instantly turn any photo into a Ghibli-style creation with just the right prompt. Instagram, X, Facebook—you name it—are full of ‘Ghibli-fied’ snaps. While many see it as a tribute to Hayao Miyazaki’s legendary animation style, others believe it’s crossing the line.
For long-time fans, these AI-made images are a way to honour the meticulously crafted works of Miyazaki, whose films take years to make, every frame drawn with immense care and precision. But with OpenAI now offering users the power to mimic his style in seconds, a growing number of voices are raising concerns about creativity, ethics and copyright.
The debate has become especially heated as artists, musicians and filmmakers weigh in:
Singer and composer Vishal Dadlani didn’t mince his words, calling the trend “AI plagiarisation”. On Instagram, he wrote: “Sorry I'm not sharing any of the Studio Ghibli style images you guys have made of or for me. I just can't bring myself to support AI's plagiarisation of an artist's life's work." He also touched upon another pressing issue—the environmental impact of AI—saying, “Not to mention, the environmental horror that those images are. Please do NOT make any more. Thank you."
Singer Armaan Malik echoed similar sentiments. When a fan asked him during an AMA on X whether he’d tried Ghibli art, he replied, “I thought it was a cute thing when it began but I don’t like the fact that the original Ghibli Studio design language was being horribly misused. I don’t like when creators and artists gets taken advantage of.”
Hollywood’s new friend? AI on the big screen
While AI is taking over social media feeds with dreamy filters, it’s also quietly making its way into the very heart of Hollywood. What was once seen as the villain in science fiction is now becoming a studio’s right hand. AI is being used for visual effects, voice manipulation and even fine-tuning actors’ performances.
At the 2025 Oscars, films like Emilia Perez and The Brutalist showcased AI’s growing role in filmmaking. Adrian Brody won the Academy Award for Best Actor with help from AI, which refined his Hungarian accent in The Brutalist. Technology is even helping to de-age actors like Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford for the screen.
But while some embrace AI as a filmmaking revolution, others are pushing back—hard
Over 400 Hollywood stars urged Donald Trump to protect artists' copyrighted work
Just weeks ago, over 400 Hollywood stars—including Paul McCartney, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Ava DuVernay, and Guillermo del Toro—signed a letter urging the US government to protect copyright from being eroded by AI. As per Deadline, the letter arrived in response to tech giants OpenAI and Google submitting proposals for an AI Action Plan to the Trump administration.
The letter warned, “America’s global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries.” It highlighted that the entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million jobs and brings in over $229 billion in wages annually. The celebrities accused AI companies of “undermining this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations.”
Names like Bette Midler, Paul Giamatti, Rosario Dawson, Ayo Edebiri, Dan Levy, and Justine Bateman also appeared on the list of signatories, standing firm in their opposition.
As per BBC, the real issue isn’t the technology, but those who are building it. AI models are often trained using publicly available data, which includes copyrighted works shared online, sometimes without the creators’ knowledge or permission. OpenAI, Google and other tech giants are now facing several lawsuits from writers, actors and news organisations, all claiming their work has been used without consent. Writers have also urged studios like Paramount, Disney and Universal to step in, but so far, none have taken legal action. Meanwhile, tech giants are asking the government to classify copyrighted material as ‘fair use’ so it can legally be used to train AI—arguing that this is essential to stay ahead in the global AI race, especially against countries like China.
What jobs in film industry could AI take over? Here’s what ChatGPT answered
When asked which roles in the entertainment industry AI could easily take over or automate, OpenAI’s ChatGPT provided a detailed list. Some of the most vulnerable areas include basic scriptwriting, such as formula-based stories, children’s shows, or low-budget thrillers. AI can produce fast drafts, though it still struggles with emotional depth. It can also assist with storyboarding and concept art using tools like Midjourney or DALL·E, helping directors visualise scenes quickly.
Background animation and CGI extras are also easy targets. AI can create entire crowds, fantasy landscapes or city scenes without needing teams of animators. Other areas include dubbing and voiceovers, where AI can replicate voices in various languages—or even bring back the voices of late actors.
Subtitling, translations, and editing assistance—like picking the best shots for a trailer or colour grading—can also be handled by AI efficiently. Even casting suggestions can be made using algorithms based on scripts and past performances.
However, roles like directing, acting, cinematography, and production design are still difficult to replace. While AI can support these jobs, the creativity, emotion, and artistic eye of a human being remain irreplaceable—for now.
‘Nothing will be original’: Amar Kaushik sounds the alarm
Filmmaker Amar Kaushik, known for ‘Stree’ and its hit sequel, shared his views in a chat with Komal Nahata. “Artificial intelligence cannot replace writers. It's the work of the mind… Your originality will not be there… Some or the other person will catch you. Okay, it took this from that film… So nothing will be original. And the human brain has the power to produce original.”
Miyazaki’s warning: ‘An insult to life itself’
Perhaps no voice on this topic has been as strong as Hayao Miyazaki’s himself. Years ago, the master animator said he found AI in animation “utterly disgusting” and called it “an insult to life itself.” He firmly stated that he would “never wish to incorporate this technology into [his] work at all.” Yet today, AI-generated content in his style is everywhere.
As the lines between homage and theft continue to blur, the question looms more extensive than ever: is AI paying tribute, or is it robbing artists of their life’s work?
You may also like
World Health Day: PM Modi urges nation to fight obesity, calls fitness key to Viksit Bharat
Uttarakhand's first butterfly gallery opens in Dehradun, highlighting ecological role and beauty of native species
IMD issues yellow alert for Delhi, red alert for Gujarat as heat intensifies across states
Himachal govt open to any form of investigation: CM Sukhu on Vimal Negi's death case
RCB vs MI: Match against Virat Kohli, Rohit injured in net practice will play match for Mumbai today..
