Beyond the Ghibli Drama: - The Art of Pause: Navigating AI Trends Without Losing Perspective

Original article on : https://itsartm.ag/4ckjXvm

I hesitated before writing this, aware of how easily words can be misunderstood or distorted, making it appear as though I'm unequivocally supporting or opposing something without nuance. To avoid misunderstanding, please let me clearly say: IAMAG does not support or feature AI-generated images at our events. Here, I won’t revisit legal or moral debates but instead focus on examining this phenomenon from a sociological perspective.

AI undeniably forms part of our current reality and isn't disappearing. We must approach it thoughtfully, avoiding the traps of transient hype and trends.

The "Ghibli" drama exploded online recently, leaving me wondering why it felt so familiar. Digging into IAMAG archives reminded me that exactly one year ago, during IAMC in Paris, Mateusz Urbanowicz presented a talk titled "What Does Making Good Art Even Mean?" featuring a website that transformed photos into a "Ghibli-style" aesthetic—yes, this was one year ago.

Screenshot from IAMC24 Talk - What Does Making Good Art Even Mean? by Mateusz Urbanowicz

This technology, known as style transfer, is hardly new. Upon further investigation, I found several older services and even free, open-source projects from over two years ago offering similar capabilities.

Screenshot from a 2-year-old open source model on Hugging Face

What’s new here? Essentially, it's rebranding existing style-transfer technology with the buzzword "AI," sparking widespread frenzy. Artists express outrage when seeing images using this style; social media becomes flooded with endless posts; communities quickly ban users sharing these images; and even a fake cease-and-desist letter claiming to be from Studio Ghibli goes viral. Marketers cleverly exploit this controversy, criticizing the trend while promoting their products.

Fake Ghibli Cease and Desist Letter

The whole spectacle recalls Charles Mackay's Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. Interestingly, I referenced Mackay’s work previously during the early NFT craze—history repeats itself.

I genuinely wish people would pause and critically analyze situations before joining such frenzies.

This trend itself isn't groundbreaking; it gained momentum primarily due to ChatGPT’s new image-generation feature, which is essentially copying established style-transfer technology rather than innovating. The rapid spread of these styled images highlights widespread acceptance of ChatGPT’s integration, even if reluctantly acknowledged by many.

We might be witnessing a pivotal moment similar to Google's entry into the market, when it overtook Yahoo and other search engines. Google rose to prominence by scraping web data without explicit permission, offering free search services (like GPT’s free tier), and monetizing via advertisements without sharing revenues with original content creators.

Though not identical, Google's approach and what we see today share foundational similarities, aside from the underlying technologies involved.

This may initially seem unrelated to the core issue—how internet trends spark exaggerated reactions and internal conflicts within communities. Yet, it illustrates how easily communities can be manipulated to generate attention and expand audience reach.

Ultimately, OpenAI successfully garnered immense attention—both positive and negative—fueling countless articles and attracting new users who reacted emotionally rather than thoughtfully evaluating the situation.

Such incidents will undoubtedly recur, teaching valuable lessons to businesses. Unfortunately, emotional reactions continue driving people into increasingly isolated groups, narrowing their global perspective.

If you’re an artist trying to understand our evolving world, resist emotional manipulation genuinely. Avoid excluding others solely because they hold differing views. You can only produce authentic art, images, and films beyond AI’s replication capabilities by maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the world. Break free from predictable patterns—forge your unique creative path.

I'd like to caution readers that this is a lengthy text. I likely won't respond to comments, mainly to avoid unnecessary arguments and to save time and energy. I intend to share thoughts on the current state of the entertainment industry, social media, and AI.

Having recently defended an artist and preparing a talk reflecting on 20 years of experience working with numerous artists and industry professionals, these insights could be an introduction to my upcoming public presentation. This reflection also acts as a post-mortem of the IAMAG Master Classes held in Paris as we prepare to relocate the event to Montreal next year.

Over two decades, I've consistently focused IAMAG (formerly IT'S ART) on the artistic and creative aspects rather than specific tools. This year, celebrating IAMAG Online's 20th anniversary, IAMAG Master Classes 25 embraced traditional artists alongside digital creators, fostering a dialogue beyond the choice of medium or tools. What matters most isn't the finished image, illustration, or sculpture but the motivations and creative processes behind it.

However, the rise of social media and AI has complicated this landscape. Initially, social networks allowed artists to easily connect and share their passion. Over time, the emergence of divisive politics fragmented these once cohesive communities into increasingly isolated bubbles, where individuals often mistake their smaller, like-minded groups for broader consensus.

AI's introduction amplified this fragmentation. At first, many artists openly experimented with tools like Disco Diffusion and Midjourney. However, justified ethical concerns quickly reshaped attitudes, leading most to publicly oppose AI-generated art. This public stance, though understandable, obscured nuanced private discussions. Smaller, strictly anti-AI bubbles emerged, further dividing the artistic community.

(Disclaimer: IAMAG does not support AI-generated art. There is no AI-generated content on our platforms or affiliated brands. My goal here is purely to reflect objectively on these developments.)

Through the IAMAG Master Classes events, especially over the past two editions, I've observed industry professionals openly addressing these issues. Artists clearly demonstrated AI's capabilities and limitations, highlighting the irreplaceable role of artists. Soon, we'll share additional discussions from artists who navigate AI realistically and thoughtfully.

Recently, I noticed criticism directed toward artists who admitted to dealing with AI in early client pitches. Many online commentators argue artists should refuse AI projects, suggesting a disconnect between online perception and industry realities. Many clients now regularly incorporate AI-generated visuals into preliminary concepts, replacing previously standard methods such as image banks or reference images.

Social media often distorts such realities, offering misleading advice to aspiring artists. Producing art from a simple AI prompt doesn't equate to genuine creativity or diminish an artist's value. Artists who equate their work's value solely to AI-generated imagery misunderstand their proper role, inadvertently undermining themselves.

Art is more than the final image—it provokes emotions, shapes visions, and guides creative processes. These fundamental aspects remain beyond AI's capabilities. Techniques will continue evolving, but meaningful artistic expression remains rooted in human insight and intentionality.

Throughout my career, I've been fortunate to collaborate with traditional, digital, and hybrid artists, bringing them together at IAMAG events to foster genuine dialogue and collaboration. Even amidst disagreements, participants consistently agree on the essential importance of the creative process.

Although I once hoped this collaborative spirit might thrive again online, I'm increasingly convinced it won't because of the social bubble phenomena.

For these reasons, I'll continue to organize in-person IAMAG events, where genuine connections, realistic dialogues, and creativity flourish beyond the constraints and illusions of social media.