Archive · 29 May 2025
AI's Viral Ghibli Trend Raises Serious Privacy Concerns
People are using AI from a company called OpenAI to make their pictures look like they are from Studio Ghibli movies.
But, experts are worried.
When you give the AI your pictures, the company uses them to teach its AI, and could keep the pictures forever.
This could lead to problems if bad people get a hold of them.
They could make fake pictures or steal your identity.
Since faces are unique and can't be easily changed like a password, sharing images with AI can have lasting privacy risks.
This means people should think carefully before joining online trends.
The Ghibli trend, using OpenAI's AI, allows users to transform images into Studio Ghibli-style art.
Experts raise privacy concerns regarding the trend, as users are potentially allowing OpenAI to train its AI models on their images.
Facial data submitted might be stored indefinitely, potentially leading to cybercrimes such as identity theft.
OpenAI collects user content to train its AI models, with an opt-out option, though it's not explicitly highlighted to users.
Permanent storage of facial features creates lasting security risks even if data breaches occur later on.
- Who
- Millions of users of OpenAI’s AI, as well as experts in data security.
- What
- A viral trend where users create Studio Ghibli-style art from their images using OpenAI's AI tool.
- When
- Since late March, 2024
- Where
- Across social media platforms.
- Why
- To create Ghibli-style artwork from their images, and due to privacy concerns regarding how OpenAI handles user data.
Privacy Advocates
AI Innovators
Data Collection
Privacy Advocates
Users should have explicit control over their data, and data collection should not come at the expense of user privacy.
AI Innovators
Collection of user data is essential for training AI models to enhance performance.
Data Security
Privacy Advocates
Data breaches can have devastating consequences and compromise personal information like faces, making it a permanent loss of privacy.
AI Innovators
Data breaches are rare, and AI can bring about benefits, even though there are risks.
- AI Platform
- OpenAI
- Trend's Focus
- Transforming images into Ghibli art
- Data Collection
- User images and content
- Data Storage
- Potentially indefinite
- Privacy Risk
- Identity theft, misuse of facial data
- Opt-out option
- Available, but not prominently communicated