OpenAI has temporarily pulled its new GPT-4o image generator from the free version of ChatGPT—just one day after its highly anticipated launch. The move came in response to an overwhelming surge in users creating AI-generated art mimicking the distinct style of Studio Ghibli, the iconic Japanese animation studio.
The upgraded tool, powered by the powerful GPT-4o model, was designed to deliver hyper-realistic images and sharper text outputs. It introduced a new “autoregressive” method of image generation—building visuals from top to bottom and left to right—resulting in more accurate, life-like creations. Unlike previous models that generated images all at once, GPT-4o’s step-by-step technique improved both coherence and detail.
This version also made strides in generating legible and clear text within images, solving a problem that plagued earlier models, which often produced blurry or jumbled lettering. Post-launch, OpenAI had been actively refining the model using human feedback to improve overall output quality.
But the public’s response to the feature was faster—and louder—than OpenAI anticipated.
Social media exploded with whimsical Ghibli-style renditions of everything from Star Wars scenes to classic memes like “distracted boyfriend” and “disaster girl.” Some users even reimagined The Godfather through the lens of the animation studio’s visual language. The trend took off so rapidly that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joined in, briefly changing his X (formerly Twitter) profile picture to a Ghibli-style image of himself.
However, the fun was short-lived. Later that same day, Altman posted an update announcing a pause in the free-tier rollout:
“Images in ChatGPT are wayyyy more popular than we expected (and we had pretty high expectations). Rollout to our free tier is unfortunately going to be delayed for awhile.” – Sam Altman (@sama), March 26, 2025
While paid users on ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team plans can still access the image generation tool, there’s currently no timeline for when it will return to free users.
The sudden halt appears to be OpenAI’s response to the viral flood of Ghibli-style artwork. Though style itself isn’t typically covered under copyright law, the sheer volume of user-generated art in such a recognizable aesthetic may have triggered internal concerns. Intellectual property rights, especially when AI is involved, remain a legally murky and ethically sensitive space.
OpenAI had anticipated high demand, but the viral nature of the Ghibli-style creations—and potential legal implications—seem to have caught the company off-guard. By temporarily withdrawing the feature, OpenAI is likely taking time to evaluate how to manage its AI art tools in a way that balances user creativity with responsible content practices.
This move highlights a bigger issue facing AI companies today: how to innovate responsibly without crossing into murky legal or ethical territory. As AI-generated content becomes more mainstream, companies like OpenAI are navigating an increasingly complex intersection of technology, copyright law, and creative ownership.
