McDonald's is once again at the center of controversy, this time for jumping on the latest AI trend by posting a series of photos in Studio Ghibli style.
ChatGPT’s update on March 26 allowed users to create images mimicking the studio’s art style, and many have joined in. But, as expected, opinions on these Ghibli-inspired pictures are divided.
McDonald’s Embraces the Ghibli Fad, and Fans Aren’t Lovin’ It
McDonald’s Mexico posted a couple of AI-generated photos replicating Studio Ghibli’s style on March 28, and the post quickly went viral, drawing a wave of negative reactions.
The soft palette, watercolor texture, and detailed environments popularized by studio founder Hayao Miyazaki are widely recognized and cherished.
Despite featuring a picture of a family enjoying their McDonald’s meal, however, the Ghibli-style transformation was not well received.
Many argue that the fast-food giant used AI-generated Studio Ghibli art to promote its brand without consulting, properly crediting, or formally collaborating with the animation studio, calling it a distasteful move.
What makes this worse is Miyazaki’s well-documented stance against artificial intelligence in animation. In 2016, he expressed being “utterly disgusted” by AI-generated animation. He’s also known for his meticulous craftsmanship and dedication to storytelling through hand-drawn art.
The Mexican branch of the fast-food giant has not taken down the post despite the backlash, which ranges from questioning their actions to calls for legal action. There are no reports of them addressing the issue.
McDonald’s is not the only prominent name caught in OpenAI’s Studio Ghibli controversy. The White House also faced criticism after posting an AI-generated Ghibli-style image of a drug and trafficking arrest on X.
People are questioning the professionalism and ethics of the account’s administration for applying Miyazaki’s whimsical and lighthearted style to an image depicting a serious crime.
People’s Divided Opinions on the Studio Ghibli AI Phenomenon
OpenAI’s GPT-4o model introduced several AI advancements when it launched in March, including the Studio Ghibli-style image generator that users had been wanting for a long time.
A year ago, this wasn’t even possible. People tried using prompts to generate art in the studio’s signature style, but ChatGPT’s policies didn’t allow it—though some managed to bypass the rule by using terms like “Ghibli-esque.”
Now, Ghibli-style AI art is everywhere, with even celebrities joining in. However, many strongly oppose the trend, arguing that it goes against everything Miyazaki stands for. Discussions about intellectual property rights have also become a major part of the debate.
Some users, however, believe this trend spreads Miyazaki’s influence and introduces his work to those unfamiliar with films like Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and The Boy and the Heron.
Others go even further, claiming that all artists draw inspiration from previous styles and that AI is simply expanding on that idea.
After the initial launch, OpenAI made changes to the 4o image generator and stated in a paper that they are taking a “conservative approach” when creating images based on other artists’ styles.
“We added a refusal which triggers when a user attempts to generate an image in the style of a living artist,” they added.
The company is still facing multiple copyright lawsuits from several artists, but it remains unclear whether the Japanese studio will take legal action as well.
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