Ever since ChatGPT’s Ghibli-style AI image generator was launched by OpenAI last week, it has taken social media by storm. From politicians and celebrities to everyday users, everyone seems to be sharing their artificial intelligence-generated portraits in the signature style of Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki. The latest version lets people turn their own photos — or even viral internet memes — into amazing Ghibli-style artwork.
Although not everyone is on board with this viral trend. Digital privacy activists and professionals are sounding the alarm on social media platforms, claiming OpenAI might be using this trend as a way to gather thousands of personal images for AI training. While many users are having fun with the feature, critics warn that they could unknowingly be handing over fresh facial data to OpenAI, raising serious privacy concerns.
Explaining the process of how AI models generate images, self proclaimed AI Engineer Thakur Harsh Singh wrote, “Upload your pics, but keep personal ones safe! It’s safe to use popular AI tools like GPT, Google, and Grok for your Ghibli image—assuming their claims are true.
The only thing is, just be cautious with lesser-known AI image generators (especially from unknown sources/Chinese ), as you never know how they handle your data. This video is meant to raise awareness so that you avoid sharing personal data with AI models in the future.
Right now, we don’t have a model that can create an exact replica of your image, but soon we might. So, you DON’T NEED TO WORRY much about it. As per the speed at which AI is evolving. It’s important to be cautious and think twice before uploading personal photos to any random AI tools.
Secondly, You don’t need thousands of images to train an AI model to generate custom images anymore! With recent advancements like DreamBooth Stable Diffusion , etc you can fine-tune AI models using just 10-12 images. These techniques allow AI to learn and recreate personalized images with minimal data. Be aware of how AI is evolving.”
Watch the video here:
Not just Harsh, many activists have urged that OpenAI’s data collection strategy is more than just an AI copyright issue. According to them, it allows the company to acquire voluntarily submitted images, bypassing legal restrictions that apply to web-scraped data.
Under GDPR regulations, OpenAI must justify scraping images from the internet under the legal basis of “legitimate interest,” which means they must implement additional safeguards to protect user privacy and ensure compliance. This includes demonstrating that data collection is necessary, does not override individuals’ rights, and follows strict transparency and accountability measures.
In a lengthy X post, Luiza Jarovsky, co-founder of the AI, Tech & Privacy Academy, said when people voluntarily upload these images, they give their consent to OpenAI to process them (Article 6.1.a of the GDPR). This is a different legal ground that gives more freedom to OpenAI, and the legitimate interest balancing test no longer applies.
“Moreover, OpenAI’s privacy policy explicitly states that the company collects personal data input by users to train its AI models when users haven’t opted out,” she wrote.
Most people haven’t realized that the Ghibli Effect is not only an AI copyright controversy but also OpenAI’s PR trick to get access to thousands of new personal images; here’s how:
To get their own Ghibli (or Sesame Street) version, thousands of people are now voluntarily… pic.twitter.com/zBktscNOSh
— Luiza Jarovsky (@LuizaJarovsky) March 29, 2025
Himachal Cyber Warriors, which claimed to be a team of cyber security experts, wrote: “Think before you #Ghibli. That cute Ghibli-style selfie? It might cost more than you think. Your photo could be misused or manipulated. AI may train on it without your consent. Data brokers might sell it for targeted ads. Stay cyber smart. Your privacy matters.”
Think before you #Ghibli
That cute “Ghibli-style” selfie? It might cost more than you think.
Your photo could be misused or manipulated.
AI may train on it without your consent.
Data brokers might sell it for targeted ads.
Stay cyber smart. Your privacy matters.… pic.twitter.com/aEjT3sHtTN
— Himachal Cyber Warriors (@hpcyberwarriors) March 29, 2025
How to Secure your Biometric Information
Be cautious before hopping on the next AI image trend, consider the risks. Check how to guard your privacy:
► Think twice before posting personal photos for AI-created images.
► Don’t post high-resolution pics on social media—they can be scraped for AI training.
► Instead of facial recognition, use PINs or passwords to unlock devices.
► Restrict camera access by checking which apps have access to it.
(This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.)
