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People are coming out in droves to hop onto yet another AI trend, only this time it’s ripping off Studio Ghibli’s anime style. Once again, we must drag out the same old correct arguments against using AI-generated images from an ethical, moral, and environmental standpoint. Trends may come and go on a micro level, but they pave the road for something far worse. Call me a stick in the mud and boo me all you want, but the stolen Studio Ghibli AI “art” needs to stop, and AI images in general.
AI Models Never Create, They Regurgitate
Hayao Miyazaki said it best, “I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself,” when speaking against artificial intelligence. AI “art” doesn’t create; it steals. AI models have always stolen from other artists, illegally or otherwise. The models don’t work without being fed a database full of art created by living, breathing people.
It doesn’t matter how often these AI models get “updates” because the results are the same. AI slop, in a sense, is like that friend who copies your homework but tries to trick the teacher by changing a few things. And like the teacher, we can always tell because it has the hallmark signs—the weird eyes, the wonky hands, and the sketchy text.
“Just Let People Have Fun,” They Say, While Everything Burns
I reject this notion that we should just “let people have fun.” If it’s for personal use, what’s the harm? That line of thinking is not one of the biggest problems with this trend, as if it somehow absolves you of the consequences. It’s that inability or unwillingness to engage with the topic.
As it turns out, every cute little image you generate only contributes to our planet’s worsening climate. In a study published in Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering, the carbon footprint created by AI’s growing energy needs are concerning. These data centers use massive amounts of water to stay cool, and fossil fuel-based power plants are used alongside electricity, compounding the environmental effects.
In other words, hopping onto the AI bandwagon—even if the Ghibli AI “art” sticks around for a few weeks—only contributes to the overall problem. If we give these trends weight, then companies will employ them more, which we’re already seeing. Do you think it’ll stop at a few T-shirts?
It isn’t hyperbolic when it’s the truth, and the truth is uncomfortable. If you want Ghibli art badly, pick up a pencil or pay an artist. God knows they need the work.
