After the huge success of Ghibli-style art, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has hinted at an upgraded version of the AI image-generation tool, saying it will be even more surprising than before. The current version has already caused a massive surge in users, overwhelming OpenAI’s servers and briefly limiting access. This week, influencers, politicians, and users worldwide joined the trend, setting a new record for ChatGPT’s user base.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teased even more advanced features, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “Y’all are not ready for images v2…” after a week of skyrocketing demand.
Users around the world have been generating art in the signature hand-drawn, whimsical style of Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. The demand was so intense that it briefly strained OpenAI’s servers, leading to temporary access restrictions.
According to market research firm Similarweb, the surge pushed ChatGPT’s weekly active users past 150 million for the first time this year. Altman acknowledged the platform’s rapid growth, celebrating its success in a post on X: “We added one million users in the last hour,” he wrote. He compared the surge to ChatGPT’s initial launch days, which saw a similarly rapid rise in user adoption.
About Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli, founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, is a world-renowned Japanese animation studio. It is famous for its beautiful hand-drawn animation, detailed backgrounds, and heartfelt storytelling. Ghibli comes from a Libyan Arabic word meaning “hot desert wind”. Over the years, the studio has produced 22 feature films.
OpenAI’s Popularity and Challenges
OpenAI experienced a major surge in app downloads, user activity, and subscriptions, pushing its systems to their limits. According to SensorTower, downloads rose by 11%, weekly active users by 5%, and in-app purchases by 6% in just one week. However, the overwhelming demand led to temporary glitches and outages, leaving some users frustrated. On Tuesday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed the situation, saying: “We are working to manage the demand, but expect some delays, slow service, and occasional issues as we expand our capacity.”
You might also be interested in – What is Studio Ghibli and why is it suddenly everywhere on the internet?
