Sam Altman Hints at ‘Images v2’ as ChatGPT Faces Surge in Ghibli-Style Art Demand

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has teased an upcoming update to ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities, following a viral trend of Ghibli-inspired AI art that has pushed the platform to its limits. “Y’all are not ready for images v2…” Altman tweeted, sparking excitement among users.

Ghibli Art Trend Overloads OpenAI’s Servers

The surge in demand for AI-generated Studio Ghibli-style portraits, reminiscent of classics like Spirited Away, has led to unprecedented growth for ChatGPT. OpenAI’s recent updates to its GPT-4o model have further enhanced the tool’s image-generation capabilities, drawing millions of users eager to experiment with the new feature.

However, this viral trend has placed immense strain on OpenAI’s infrastructure. Altman previously acknowledged the platform's struggles, saying, “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT. But our GPUs are melting.” The overwhelming influx of users has resulted in slow service, feature suspensions, and temporary outages.

New Releases Delayed Due to Capacity Issues

Despite the buzz around "Images v2," Altman warned that OpenAI's future updates might be delayed. He admitted the company is working hard to manage capacity challenges, even making a public call for more GPU resources.

“We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges,” he posted, emphasizing the urgency of scaling infrastructure.

The Ghibli-style image boom has fueled ChatGPT’s rapid expansion, with Altman revealing that the platform hit 150 million active users for the first time this year. “We added one million users in the last hour,” he announced, highlighting the viral success of AI-generated art.

As users await the release of "Images v2," OpenAI’s next steps will determine how well the company can balance demand with performance. Whether the update rolls out soon or faces further delays, one thing is clear—the AI-driven art revolution is only just beginning.

Also Read: Sam Altman tweets that ChatGPT added one million users in a single hour