OpenAI’s Latest Image Generation Technology Sparks Studio Ghibli Meme Trend

Recently, OpenAI unveiled a new iteration of its image generation technology, captivating the online community as users enthusiastically recreate Studio Ghibli-style memes. This renowned Japanese animation studio is famous for beloved classics such as Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, The Wind Rises, and Howl’s Moving Castle.

Introducing the Advanced Image Generator

Dubbed the “most advanced image generator yet,”this update to GPT‑4o is touted by OpenAI as capable of producing both stunning and practical visuals. Currently, however, this innovative feature is limited to subscribers of the Plus, Pro, or Team plans, with free users awaiting access, as confirmed in a recent tweet by Sam Altman.

The Meme Surge: Ghibli-Style Interpretation of Current Events

The launch on March 25, 2025, triggered an explosion of memes across social media platforms. Users have turned political events and even their pets into creative Ghibli-style renditions. From humorous takes on celebrity encounters to interpretations of significant world events, the artistic style has proven versatile and engaging.

Popular Memes Inspired by Studio Ghibli

Highlighted below are some of the standout memes that have recently emerged, showcasing the creativity of users as they adapt various themes into the whimsical Ghibli aesthetic:

Memes with images generated using the new OpenAI feature floods online, (Photo via @venturetwins/X) — Memes featuring the new OpenAI image generation flood social media, (Photo via @venturetwins/X)

More studio Ghibli recreated images as memes, (Photo via @LukasMikelionis/X) — Additional Ghibli-style memes creating a buzz online, (Photo via @LukasMikelionis/X)

Memes erupt online, (Photo via @NolanAnalyst/X) — Memes bursting forth on various platforms, (Photo via @NolanAnalyst/X)

More memes flood social media, (Photo via @MDurbar/X) — Memes continuing to take over social media, (Photo via @MDurbar/X)

High-Profile Figures Join the Ghibli Meme Craze

Noteworthy personalities, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla’s Elon Musk, have also gotten in on the meme action. On March 26, Altman shared his own Ghibli-style images, humorously reflecting on his journey with AI development:

“> be me / > grind for a decade trying to help make superintelligence to cure cancer or whatever / > mostly no one cares for first 7.5 years, then for 2.5 years everyone hates you for everything / > wake up one day to hundreds of messages: ‘look I made you into a twink ghibli style haha.”

Moreover, Altman’s social media profile features an AI-generated photo in a similar artistic style. Meanwhile, Musk contributed to the trend with a playful image of himself depicted as a monkey holding the DOGE mascot, captioned “Theme of the day.”

Community Engagement: Sharing Generative Prompts

In tandem with the meme sharing, many users have been posting the creative prompts they used to generate their images. Notable mentions include phrases like “Can you Ghiblize my photo?”and “Transforms photos into Studio Ghibli-inspired characters, highlighting detail and whimsy,”which have gained traction among the meme-making community.

The Studio Ghibli Perspective on AI Technology

Despite the current enthusiasm surrounding AI-generated Ghibli-style content, it’s worth noting that Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli’s co-founder, has expressed strong reservations about AI in animation. In past statements, he described an AI image generation demonstration as “disgusting”and stressed his intent to avoid integrating AI into his creative work, viewing it as “an insult to life.”The studio has yet to comment on the recent meme phenomenon.