OpenAI has put a rate limit on image generation requests for ChatGPT, with CEO Sam Altman stating “our GPUs are melting,” via an X post on Thursday.
While Altman didn’t specify what the rate limit would be, he said the safeguard “hopefully” won’t need to be in place for very long as OpenAI tries to increase its efficiency in handling the requests. The increasing demand for the built-in image generator has already caused the artificial intelligence (AI) company to push back the feature’s availability for users on ChatGPT’s free tier and yet, the measure hasn’t been enough to ease the demands on OpenAI’s infrastructure.
OpenAI is leveraging its GPT-4o model for the newly-improved image generation tool, creating images that are far more realistic than before. In an interview with The Verge, the company had described this as a “step change” above prior models. However, the rate limiting is a reminder of just how much power is required for AI image generation.
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This comes shortly following the viral new trend of the GPT-4o model being used to create “Studio Ghibli-style” portraits. “Ghibli art” or “Ghibli art style” refers to the signature art style used by Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. This art style involves muted palettes, intricate details, and a sense of whimsy.
As this trend took off, people have been rendering various images—from memes, to iconic photos, personal pictures, and scenes from movies—using OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Even Sam Altman initially hopped on to the trend, changing his profile picture to a Ghibli version of himself.
While some users enjoyed the trend, others have criticized it, sparking debates over copyright. Critics have pointed out the ethical concerns about AI tools trained on copyrighted creative works and what it means for the value of human creativity. Many have also pointed out that Studio Ghibli’s founder Hayao Miyazaki was critical of AI-generated art. In a 2016 documentary, Miyazaki called it “an insult to life itself.” So far, Studio Ghibli has not commented on recent developments.