<p>Japanese artist Hayao Miyazaki’s meticulous artwork is the outcome of painstaking creativity — an ethos that finds expression in Ghibli Studio, the Japanese animation studio he co-founded. </p><p>Today, however, the legendary artist’s work has been reduced to mimicry with ChatGPT’s image generator, which allows users to generate Ghibli-style artwork for free, within seconds. </p><p>While this trend is being viewed as “fun” and just another AI development, it has brought forth urgent questions about plagiarism and raised ethical dilemmas about reducing artists’ works to memes. </p>.<p>Cybersecurity expert Karan Saini explains that AI art is not original: “AI can create images with combinations of objects and characteristics that might make each image ‘new’, ‘original’, or otherwise ‘unique’, but without the training data based on theft of copyrighted materials, its generation capabilities take a significant hit. So, in a philosophical sense, it cannot create anything original.” </p>.<p>Leading Indian graphic artists unanimously agree that the AI Ghibli trend is plain theft of Miyazaki’s work that sets a dangerous precedent. Graphic novelist and artist Appupen has delved into the issue of the challenges and promises of AI in his graphic novel, Dream Machine, co-written with Lauren Daudet. “AI art is pure business. The threat is to artists’ income stream — images are being created based on branding.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee says the issue is more about how the AI Ghibli trend is being defended. “There are techno-positive consumers who argue that AI has ‘democratised’ art and made it ‘accessible’; that everyone can be an artist and make ‘art’ by using Ghibli filters. Some even say Miyazaki is getting recognition! This logic shows how low the cultural bar has been set. The whole involvement of civil society is not with art but in legitimising stealing and defending it.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">He argues that ChatGPT has disrespected Studio Ghibli’s work because it can get away with it. Sarnath desists from adopting a Pollyanna attitude that art will abide irrespective of AI. “The art world is already broken due to funding cuts and over-commercialisation. Art is not in a healthy place. When we say that art will abide, we forget that AI is increasingly becoming better at mimicking; there is a simulacrum of real things.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Award-winning illustrator Priya Kuriyan says art becomes special when someone brings a certain niche to it. “AI is coming from other sources; it is not a product of human emotions, and there is no nuance or emotional depth. Original work involves the vulnerabilities of the artist; it is a reaction to the artist and his experiences.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Intent is what distinguishes AI art from original art. “When you use AI, you are creating by accident, whereas when you are creating a book or an illustration, there is intent. In AI, one cobbles together something.” She says that the AI Ghibli trend is a tool to give people a dopamine rush. “People will make profile pictures that will provide momentary pleasure.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">The only way to push back against the perils of AI, Priya says, is to incorporate discussions around art in schools. Orijit Sen, a pioneer in Indian graphic novels, says he doesn’t have as much of an issue with AI tools as he has with trends like AI Ghibli. “AI is a new development, innovations keep happening, and one can’t stop that. But the issue is with the misuse of Miyazaki’s works. It is reducing a powerful body of work into mimicry. Why are you demeaning an artist? The passing gratification of a trend takes away the sacredness of an artwork.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Art is not merely an end product, Orijit stresses. “It takes a lifetime of work, thought, caring, and observation to create a work of art. And that is why creating and communing with art is the closest thing one can have to a spiritual experience. Art is a primary form of human expression, and it cannot die. It is our collective treasure, and we need to preserve it.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">While AI has its advantages, its unbridled development at the cost of jobs, ethics and creativity needs a collective pushback, feel artists.</p>
<p>Japanese artist Hayao Miyazaki’s meticulous artwork is the outcome of painstaking creativity — an ethos that finds expression in Ghibli Studio, the Japanese animation studio he co-founded. </p><p>Today, however, the legendary artist’s work has been reduced to mimicry with ChatGPT’s image generator, which allows users to generate Ghibli-style artwork for free, within seconds. </p><p>While this trend is being viewed as “fun” and just another AI development, it has brought forth urgent questions about plagiarism and raised ethical dilemmas about reducing artists’ works to memes. </p>.<p>Cybersecurity expert Karan Saini explains that AI art is not original: “AI can create images with combinations of objects and characteristics that might make each image ‘new’, ‘original’, or otherwise ‘unique’, but without the training data based on theft of copyrighted materials, its generation capabilities take a significant hit. So, in a philosophical sense, it cannot create anything original.” </p>.<p>Leading Indian graphic artists unanimously agree that the AI Ghibli trend is plain theft of Miyazaki’s work that sets a dangerous precedent. Graphic novelist and artist Appupen has delved into the issue of the challenges and promises of AI in his graphic novel, Dream Machine, co-written with Lauren Daudet. “AI art is pure business. The threat is to artists’ income stream — images are being created based on branding.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee says the issue is more about how the AI Ghibli trend is being defended. “There are techno-positive consumers who argue that AI has ‘democratised’ art and made it ‘accessible’; that everyone can be an artist and make ‘art’ by using Ghibli filters. Some even say Miyazaki is getting recognition! This logic shows how low the cultural bar has been set. The whole involvement of civil society is not with art but in legitimising stealing and defending it.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">He argues that ChatGPT has disrespected Studio Ghibli’s work because it can get away with it. Sarnath desists from adopting a Pollyanna attitude that art will abide irrespective of AI. “The art world is already broken due to funding cuts and over-commercialisation. Art is not in a healthy place. When we say that art will abide, we forget that AI is increasingly becoming better at mimicking; there is a simulacrum of real things.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Award-winning illustrator Priya Kuriyan says art becomes special when someone brings a certain niche to it. “AI is coming from other sources; it is not a product of human emotions, and there is no nuance or emotional depth. Original work involves the vulnerabilities of the artist; it is a reaction to the artist and his experiences.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Intent is what distinguishes AI art from original art. “When you use AI, you are creating by accident, whereas when you are creating a book or an illustration, there is intent. In AI, one cobbles together something.” She says that the AI Ghibli trend is a tool to give people a dopamine rush. “People will make profile pictures that will provide momentary pleasure.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">The only way to push back against the perils of AI, Priya says, is to incorporate discussions around art in schools. Orijit Sen, a pioneer in Indian graphic novels, says he doesn’t have as much of an issue with AI tools as he has with trends like AI Ghibli. “AI is a new development, innovations keep happening, and one can’t stop that. But the issue is with the misuse of Miyazaki’s works. It is reducing a powerful body of work into mimicry. Why are you demeaning an artist? The passing gratification of a trend takes away the sacredness of an artwork.” </p>.<p class="bodytext">Art is not merely an end product, Orijit stresses. “It takes a lifetime of work, thought, caring, and observation to create a work of art. And that is why creating and communing with art is the closest thing one can have to a spiritual experience. Art is a primary form of human expression, and it cannot die. It is our collective treasure, and we need to preserve it.”</p>.<p class="bodytext">While AI has its advantages, its unbridled development at the cost of jobs, ethics and creativity needs a collective pushback, feel artists.</p>