Digital Disconnect: As Ghibli Goes AI Due To ChatGPT, Hayao Miyazaki Would Like To Unsubscribe
"I can't watch this stuff and find [it] interesting. Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever. I am utterly disgusted," Miyazaki said on AI art.
Digital Disconnect: The internet is having a Ghibli moment, thanks to OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT update, which can now churn out stunning AI-generated art inspired by the legendary studio. But amid the excitement, an old video of Hayao Miyazaki (the co-founder and honorary chairman of Studio Ghibli) resurfacing online serves as a poetic reality check — because if there’s one thing Miyazaki despises more than deadlines, it’s AI-generated animation.
AI Turns Ghibli-Esque, But Miyazaki Isn’t Buying It
Social media, particularly X (formerly Twitter), is drowning in AI-generated images that mimic Studio Ghibli’s signature hand-drawn charm. OpenAI’s GPT-4o model has unleashed a wave of nostalgia-packed, algorithm-powered “Ghibli-fied” portraits that have people fawning over their digital selves. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined in, swapping his profile picture for an AI-crafted Ghibli-style version.
It's been 24 hours since OpenAI unexpectedly shook the AI image world with 4o image generation.
— Barsee 🐶 (@heyBarsee) March 26, 2025
Here are the 14 most mindblowing examples so far (100% AI-generated):
1. Studio ghibli style memespic.twitter.com/E38mBnPnQh
But just as fans marveled at the machine’s ability to capture that whimsical Ghibli essence, Miyazaki’s infamous reaction to AI animation came back to haunt the internet, like a ghost from Spirited Away, only angrier.
"Utterly Disgusted": Miyazaki’s Blunt Verdict On AI Art
In a now-viral clip, Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki were presented with an AI-generated animation featuring a grotesque, zombie-like figure. The developers excitedly explained that AI could produce movements beyond human imagination — strange, unnatural, and eerily unsettling.
Since this utter garbage is trending, we should take a look at what Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli, said about machine created art. https://t.co/1TMPcFGIJE pic.twitter.com/IvaM9WZL3T
— Nuberodesign (@nuberodesign) March 26, 2025
“It looks like it's dancing. It doesn’t feel pain and has no concept of protecting its head. Artificial intelligence could present us with grotesque movements that humans can't imagine,” the presenter enthused.
Miyazaki, a man who has spent his career bringing soul to hand-drawn frames, was visibly unimpressed. He recalled a disabled friend who struggles with simple physical movements, stating that this AI-generated monstrosity trivialized human experience rather than enhancing it.
"I can't watch this stuff and find [it] interesting. Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever. I am utterly disgusted. If you really want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all."
Then, in true Miyazaki fashion, he delivered the final blow: "I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself."
The AI Vs Art Debate: What Would Totoro Think?
When pressed about their goal, the developers explained that they wanted AI to draw like humans. Noble ambition? Maybe. But Miyazaki’s reaction made one thing clear: soulless, machine-made art is the exact opposite of what makes Ghibli, well, Ghibli.
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As AI-generated Ghibli-style art continues to flood social media, Miyazaki’s words stand as a fitting counterbalance — a reminder that while AI might replicate the aesthetics, it will never capture the heart.
So, as the internet delights in its algorithmic Ghibli glow-up, somewhere in Japan, Hayao Miyazaki is probably shaking his head, muttering about the downfall of civilization, and hand-drawing something beautiful just to prove a point.
Digital Disconnect is an ABP Live-exclusive column, where we explore the many admirable advancements the world of tech is seeing each day, and how they lead to a certain disconnect among users. Is the modern world an easier place to live in, thanks to tech? Definitely. Does that mean we don’t long for things to go back to the good-ol’ days? Well, look out for our next column to find out.
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