"Insult To Life Itself": Ghibli Founder Hayao Miyazaki Slams AI-Generated Art
An old video of Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki expressing his disdain for AI animation has resurfaced and gone viral on social media, especially on X.
The clip, which originally aired years ago, features Miyazaki passionately criticising the idea of machines creating art, calling it an “insult to life itself.”
This comment has sparked renewed attention, especially as AI tools like OpenAI’s latest GPT-4 model with integrated image generation have taken social media by storm.
In the viral video, a group of animators and designers demonstrate an AI machine capable of animating images, showing a particularly unsettling sequence of a zombie-like figure performing unnatural, jerky movements.
Since this utter garbage is trending, we should take a look at what Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli, said about machine-created art. https://t.co/1TMPcFGIJE pic.twitter.com/IvaM9WZL3T
— Nuberodesign (@nuberodesign) March 26, 2025
The creators explained that the AI could generate strange and grotesque motions that humans cannot imagine, even applying it to things like a zombie video game.
Miyazaki, known for his timeless animated classics such as Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, was not impressed.
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He responded by sharing his discomfort with the animation, explaining that it reminded him of a friend who struggles with simple movements due to a disability.
Miyazaki stressed that such movements, which he felt lacked any genuine understanding of human pain, were “utterly disgusting.” He further stated, “I can’t watch this stuff and find it interesting… Whoever creates this stuff has no idea what pain is whatsoever.”
Co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki’s reaction to AI-generated art, btw https://t.co/w9xHfyLVrG pic.twitter.com/EtPkmsgtZt
— kp (@earthlykisssed) March 26, 2025
For Miyazaki, the notion of AI-generated animation, especially with its ability to produce “creepy” and “unnatural” figures, was deeply unsettling.
“I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself,” he said, rejecting the use of this technology in his creative process. His words stand in stark contrast to the excitement surrounding modern AI tools, which are now generating Studio Ghibli-inspired artwork with viral appeal,” quoted Far Out Magazine.
The conversation surrounding AI-generated art has reached new heights with the release of OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-4o, which comes with an integrated image generator.
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Users across social media platforms have been creating and sharing Ghibli-style illustrations, marveling at the lifelike charm of AI-created art. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman even joined in the trend, updating his profile picture with an AI-generated Ghibli-style portrait.
It’s been 24 hours since OpenAI unexpectedly shook the AI image world with 4o image generation.
Here are the 14 most mindblowing examples so far (100% AI-generated):
1. Studio Ghibli style memespic.twitter.com/E38mBnPnQh
— Barsee 🐶 (@heyBarsee) March 26, 2025
Studio Ghibli is a renowned Japanese animation studio, celebrated for its beautifully crafted, imaginative, and emotionally impactful films.
Established in 1985 by influential directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, the studio is recognised for its breathtaking animation, rich storytelling, and exploration of themes such as nature, humanity, fantasy, and personal growth.
