Since OpenAI released the 'ChatGPT-4o Image Generation' model on the 25th, images created by mimicking the style of Japan's famous animation studio 'Studio Ghibli' using this model have been spreading online through social media.
Amid this, OpenAI is facing controversy over the possibility that it may have infringed on the copyrights of Studio Ghibli or director Hayao Miyazaki (84).
OpenAI is encouraging users of this model to create 'Ghibli-style' images, and OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman has even changed his profile picture on his social media account to a 'Ghibli-style' image.
Josh Weigensberg, a partner attorney at the law firm 'Fryer Cashman', noted to the Associated Press that the issue is whether OpenAI's AI model has been trained on the works of Studio Ghibli or director Miyazaki, and raised the question, 'Did they obtain a license or approval to conduct such training?'
Weigensberg added that if such usage of the works is being carried out without consent and compensation, there could be a problem. He emphasized that while there are general principles indicating that vague 'styles' are not protected by copyright, that does not mean there are no issues since specific, distinguishable, and individual elements in artworks can be extracted and examined.
Weigensberg pointed out, 'You can freeze a frame from 'Howl's Moving Castle' or 'Spirited Away' and identify specific characteristics, and then you can find the same or substantially similar elements in the outputs generated by the generative AI.'
Karla Ortiz, an artist who grew up watching Miyazaki's films and is suing other generative AI image companies for copyright infringement, criticized, 'This is another clear example of companies like OpenAI not caring about artists' work and livelihoods,' adding, 'Such actions are exploiting the branding, name, achievements, and reputation of Ghibli to market (OpenAI's) products. It is an insult and exploitation.'
Meanwhile, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, reported that the explosive popularity of the ChatGPT-4o Image Generation model has caused server overload.
He wrote, 'It is really exciting to see that people are enjoying the image model,' but noted, 'The graphics processing units (GPUs) are melting down.' This indicates that the servers are experiencing overload to the extent that GPUs are melting down due to the influx of users.
He added, 'We will temporarily limit the use of this feature while we improve performance.'