A user on X claimed to have received a cease-and-desist letter from Studio Ghibli over an app that supposedly transforms photos into Ghibli-style art. However, the letter and app appear to be hoaxes, as the app’s name leads to an unrelated service, and the letter contains inaccuracies. Ghibli denied issuing any warning. The incident raises questions about copyright in AI-generated content and the motivations behind the fabricated claims, including potential email collection schemes.
‘Creators utilizing artificial intelligence should be supported, not penalized.’ This was the stance taken by a user on X, whose post gained over 5 million views after he claimed to have received a cease-and-desist notice from the renowned Japanese animation studio, Ghibli, celebrated for its classic films like Princess Mononoke and My Neighbor Totoro, helmed by the iconic director Hayao Miyazaki. Since March 25, social media has been buzzing with content as ChatGPT’s chatbot enabled users to generate images inspired by Ghibli’s distinctive aesthetic. Even French President Emmanuel Macron joined the trend by sharing his own creation. This surge in activity has exposed the significant legal grey area surrounding copyright issues in the artificial intelligence sector.
The artist, known as ‘teej’, is said to have developed an app named ‘Gib’, designed to let users transform any photograph into a Ghibli-style masterpiece. The app’s tagline promises to ‘Turn these moments into magic’, and a dedicated website has even been established. Many users have voiced their concerns regarding copyright infringement, urging him to ‘develop your unique style’ or challenging him to ‘pick up a pencil and draw.’
A Fabricated Letter for a Nonexistent App
In truth, both the cease-and-desist letter and the application appear to be fabrications. A quick search reveals that the claimed app’s name leads to a tax transaction management tool in Turkey. Furthermore, several users have pointed out the letter’s glaring inconsistencies: the law firm’s name is fictitious, the email address is invalid, and the phone number ‘555’ is a classic reference to the fictional numbers commonly found in TV shows and movies since the 1960s in America. Additionally, the logo featured in the letter does not match Ghibli’s current branding.
Despite the misinformation, the letter circulated widely enough that Ghibli’s management felt compelled to address it in a statement to Chinese media NHK, asserting, ‘Our company has not issued any warning letter.’ So far, Ghibli has refrained from publicly commenting on the image generation feature provided by ChatGPT or announcing any legal measures.
It’s worth noting that Hayao Miyazaki, the studio’s founder, has previously expressed his disapproval of AI in creative processes. In a 2016 documentary aired on Japanese public television, he stated, ‘I would never consider incorporating this technology into my work. I genuinely believe it is an affront to life itself.’
Is There an Email Collection Scheme at Play?
Recently, several users reported receiving rejections for requests related to the Ghibli studio, with ChatGPT citing a breach of OpenAI’s guidelines. An OpenAI spokesperson clarified to AFP: ‘We prohibit the creation of content specifically inspired by living artists; however, we do permit it for the style of a studio, which is a broader category. Our intent is to provide users with maximum creative freedom.’
The true motivation behind the author of the fabricated letter remains unclear. Was it merely a social media prank capitalizing on current events, or was there a genuine attempt to advocate for AI content creators? The individual did not respond to inquiries from the Verification team. However, a look at the supposed app’s website indicates that it solicited email sign-ups for updates about an application that will never come to fruition, as confirmed by the creator. This approach appears to be a clever way to amass a contact list of interested individuals for future, legitimate projects, all without significant effort.
If you have questions or wish to report any suspicious information, please reach out to us at [email protected]. You can also connect with us on X at the account @verif_TF1LCI.