“Our team needs sleep” – OpenAI CEO’s plea as Ghibli AI art frenzy takes over the internet

The internet loves a good trend, and the latest one to take over social media is AI-generated art in the iconic Studio Ghibli style. From beautiful scenes to fascinating characters, the magic of Ghibli’s animation is now available to anyone who wants to create it. Thanks to AI tools like ChatGPT, generating this style of art has never been easier. But while it seems like a fun and harmless trend, it’s also led to an interesting (and somewhat humorous) intervention from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Altman, the man behind ChatGPT, recently shared a tweet asking users to slow down. His message? “Can y'all please chill on generating images? This is insane, our team needs sleep.” The simple request resonated with people, revealing the human side of the AI revolution.

Sam Altman’s public request
The sudden explosion in demand for AI-generated Ghibli art left OpenAI's team working overtime to keep up. In a tweet that surprised many, Altman humorously but firmly asked the public to take a step back: “Can y'all please chill on generating images this is insane our team needs sleep.” While the request was lighthearted, it was also a rare acknowledgment of the human side of AI development. Behind every AI tool, there’s a team that’s putting in the hours to make it work– and they need time to rest.

The message also served as a reminder that, while AI technology is rapidly advancing, the people behind it are still human. Even the most cutting-edge tools need maintenance, care, and– sometimes– a little bit of time off.
No plans to slow down the AI
As with any viral new feature, there was a backlash. Some users were concerned that OpenAI might limit the capabilities of its AI tools to reduce the overwhelming demand. One person responded, “If you keep nerfing the model, people will stop using it. Otherwise, no.”
Altman quickly reassured users, replying: “We are gonna do the opposite of nerfing it BUT still please chill out a bit.” This was his way of letting everyone know that OpenAI wasn’t going to scale back the AI's power– instead, they were simply asking for a bit more time to handle the massive wave of requests. The company focuses on advancing technology but prioritizes responsible user management to keep it sustainable.

The challenge of building a tech empire
Altman’s request wasn’t just about managing AI usage; it also highlighted the immense pressure that comes with leading a company pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence. In response to a user jokingly suggesting OpenAI should "fire your team and generate a new one," Altman offered a candid response: “no thanks, in addition to building AGI this team is on trajectory to build the biggest website in the world from a cold start 2.33 years ago, best team in the world, it's just hard.”
Creating Ghibli-style art without the wait
For those eager to jump in and create their own Ghibli-style art but don’t want to wait for OpenAI’s tools, there are plenty of alternatives available. Google’s Gemini, XAI’s Grok, and free platforms like Craiyon, DeepAI, and Playground AI can also generate images in a similar style.

All you need is a prompt like “portrait in Studio Ghibli style, soft colours, forest background,” and these platforms will create stunning visuals that capture the magic of Ghibli’s animated worlds. While these models may not match the photorealism of GPT-4’s images, they still embody the whimsical, dreamlike quality that defines Studio Ghibli.