image-generation tools, giving the world the ability to make Studio Ghibli art at home. Up until now, Studio Ghibli has kept quiet about the situation, but now that is over. The company has released a statement with regard to the AI debacle, but rather than the issue itself, the studio is discussing the fake legal documents going around about the situation.

For context, the Studio Ghibli situation with OpenAI sparked further ire when a post on X went live that suggested Studio Ghibli had sent a cease and desist letter to Gib Studio, an app that uses generative AI like that from ChatGPT to turn real-world photos into Ghibli-esque artwork. Posted by a member of the Gib Studio team, the letter circulating online suggests that Ghibli is now sending out legal warnings about the OpenAI trend. However, that is not the case.

Speaking to NHK, a major news outlet in Japan, Studio Ghibli said the following when asked about the legal documents: "There have in fact been no warnings issued."

Studio Ghibli Did Not Send Legal Threats With Regards To The AI Scandal

NHK Confirms The News Is Totally Fake

As seen in a post by @tj_littlejohn, the fake cease and desist letter from Studio Ghibli looks official, but it is anything but. The letter is most certainly fake, and netizens were quick to point out the issue.

Just got this cease and desist from Studio Ghibli AI creators deserve protection, not punishment. Expression is sacred. Imagination is not illegal If I have to be a martyr to prove that, so be it. I’m assembling a legal team Firms who believe in this fight, reach out

For one, the letter is sent by Sakura-Hoshino LLP, which does not exist on record in Japan or the United States. Not only is the email address listed not valid, but the phone number included is fake. The number houses the digit 555; While the number's country code is correct, its combination with 555 denotes the phone number as being fictitious, as many films and television shows use that number.

There is no telling how the faux-legal threat came to be, but Studio Ghibli is not standing for it. While the company's note to NHK is brief, it firmly denies that any legal notices have been sent out with regard to the OpenAI situation. However, that does not mean such a warning will not be sent out in the future.

Studio Ghibli Could Pursue Legal Action, But Will It?

AI And Copyright Infringement Continue To Be An Issue For Artists

With OpenAI being used so prolifically to mimic Studio Ghibli's signature style, millions are wondering whether the anime studio will stand up to the situation. After all, director and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki is a noted opponent of AI. His stance against the technology has made many fans speculate about legal action against ChatGPT and its developer, OpenAI, but the future is difficult to predict in this case.

Studio Ghibli is a firm believer in intellectual property, but AI has muddled the legal waters for artists across the globe. There are countless AI tools on the Internet that use posted content to educate their AI systems. For Studio Ghibli, it is entirely possible that OpenAI's new image-generation tool was fed content from Studio Ghibli, paving the way for this viral debacle. If that is the case, however, Studio Ghibli could have recourse for legal action.

When people feed copyrighted content into AI systems without getting permission, that is considered copyright infringement. This is especially damning when the content is fed to AI learning models that can then produce content based on what it has consumed. From Japan to the United States, artists have raised red flags about AI's unruly usage as it can be hard (if not impossible) to litigate such cases of copyright infringement. However, given the sheer scale of what is happening with Studio Ghibli, the anime titan has a choice to make.

"Given the sheer scale of what is happening with Studio Ghibli, the anime titan has a choice to make."

ChatGPT is a service that makes a minimum of $4 billion USD a year, making it one of the most profitable platforms in AI. The site's blatant use of AI learning to mimic Studio Ghibli's art is impossible to ignore. When the White House of the United States gets on the trend, it's clear that the situation has gotten out of hand.

For Studio Ghibli, the studio's legacy is now at stake given the work OpenAI has done. Not only can the AI-made artwork cheapen the company's brand value, but it stands against the philosophy of art. Miyazaki's hatred of AI has before led him to call the technology an "insult to life", making it seem likely Studio Ghibli will speak out on the topic at some point. But aside from its brief note to NHK regarding fake legal warnings, Studio Ghibli is keeping quiet about OpenAI's affront... for now, at least.