Recently, a controversy erupted on social media when a fake document purportedly from Studio Ghibli began circulating, accusing an AI image-generating app of infringing its copyright.
The alleged notice stated that the app, which transforms photos into Studio Ghibli-style illustrations, would have to be removed under threat of legal action. However, Ghibli completely denied this notice, clarifying that it had not issued such a letter.
Alleged letter from Ghibli Studio
In short, the story began when many users began sharing AI-generated images that mimicked the freehand animation style for which Studio Ghibli is famous. The trend further exploded after OpenAI announced it had integrated new image generation capabilities into its ChatGPT platform, allowing users to easily create stylized art that mimics Ghibli's visual style.
On March 26th, a user on X (formerly known as Twitter) posted about the release of an app that turns any photo into a Ghibli-style illustration. But the next day, the same user shared an image of what they claimed was an official warning letter from Studio Ghibli, alleging that the app violated the studio's copyright and that legal action would be taken if it wasn't removed.
Fake News spreading on the internet
Consequently, this "warning" quickly spread across social media, and several media outlets, including NHK , began reporting that the studio had formally intervened. However, when NHK contacted Ghibli, the studio categorically denied issuing the letter. " We did not issue any warning letter ," they said, calling the document a forgery.
Although the studio denied the incident, it didn't comment on whether it will take any action! This unauthorized use of its visual style in AI-generated content could still generate controversy in the future.
For now, it appears this whole misunderstanding was just a case of viral misinformation. While it remains a sign of growing copyright concerns in the age of artificial intelligence, it remains a sign of growing copyright concerns in the age of artificial intelligence.
Anyway guys, have you posted this anime-style photo on social media yet?
