Toshio Suzuki, a producer at Studio Ghibli, commented on the rise of generative AI images mimicking the studio's signature style. He noted that while such images initially sparked a surge of interview requests, he chose not to respond because he believed people would quickly grow tired of them, which he claims has now happened.
Suzuki argued that AI-generated animations are easily recognizable to anyone with a basic understanding of the art, making them meaningless and uninteresting. He emphasized that Hayao Miyazaki's creative process is the opposite of how AI works, as Miyazaki creates in isolation from external information, starting with 'The Boy and the Heron'.
The producer revealed that Miyazaki is completely unaware of generative AI. Suzuki asserted that Miyazaki's unique expression and artistic approach cannot be replicated by AI or computer graphics.
The trend of AI-generated Ghibli-style images gained momentum after OpenAI upgraded ChatGPT's image generation to the GPT-4o model in March 2025. This allowed users to convert selfies into animation styles, leading OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to change his X profile picture to a Ghibli version.
