AI, Studio Ghibli-Inspired Art and the Copycat Dilemma: Implications for the UK’s Creative Landscape

Jack Pierce
Apr 3
6 min read

This week has witnessed one of the most significant and controversial developments in artificial intelligence: the rise of ChatGPTs. new image-based model, GPT-4o. Capable of generating visuals that closely mimic the work of world-renowned Studio Ghibli, this breakthrough has sparked both excitement and outrage, fuelling a growing debate about AI’s role in creative industries.

Recent AI tools have demonstrated an uncanny ability to produce high-quality multimedia content, challenging the long-held belief that creativity is a uniquely human trait. The adoption of AI-driven image software like Midjourney, DALL·E, and ChatGPT offers new possibilities, but it also reinforces fears that AI is not just a tool—it’s a disruptor. While some see a future where human and machine creativity coexist, others warn that AI is already encroaching on artistic expression, threatening the very essence of media and human creativity.

Creativity as a concept:

Although the definition of creativity is considered a well-understood concept, its role varies based on individual experiences and backgrounds.

Those in psychology and research view creativity as the approach to innovation of modern society and systems that support the development of businesses and solve human problems with little care of the artistic fields and efforts of blended approaches.

Meanwhile, artists and storytellers see creativeness as a deeply human experience, tied to emotion, intent, and cultural significance. This disconnect leads to misunderstandings and resistance in industries where originality is paramount.

Writers, designers and multimedia producers are beginning to fear AI as a replacement rather than a tool for growth as its abilities to produce and scale productions are flooding the market, making it harder for OG creators to stand out.

Even though we can all agree AI is going nowhere and can see its benefits, researchers struggle to define what makes something truly innovative beyond computational patterns, creating one of the biggest challenges in AI-driven research is the lack of a shared definition of creativity itself.

Creative AI & The Games Industry:

Midst the fears of creatives, many digital designers and technical artists, who have long been essential to the creative industry, especially in the gaming industry, now face an even greater challenge. These intellectual creatives, who bring our favourite moments to life using node-based design, are seeing a potential replacement.

While their skills have been crucial in bridging the gap between artistic vision and practical execution, there is a growing concern that the rise of AI may undermine roles with some aware that their job might be gone by the time they wake up tomorrow. Many technical artists fear that AI-driven automation could replace the nuanced design work they have carefully honed over time, leaving them uncertain about their place in an increasingly tech-driven industry

Although some AI-generated productions may appear to match the high standards of cinematic animations, 3D-based design and other image-generating tools often struggle to meet the intended creative briefs. These systems frequently produce unusable topology with models lacking proper structure or create visuals that are overly abstract or unclear, making them difficult to integrate into professional workflows.

**Broken Topology of 3D Model produced with AI**

Despite the challenges, game developers in the US are increasingly integrating AI technologies into the development of virtual creations to enhance the creation of environments, characters, and in-game interactions, fostering a more unique and immersive experience for players and paving the way for a new format of storytelling.

Copyright Conundrum:

As fans and UGC creators embrace this week's advancements as a charming opportunity, others see it as a threat. Creative critics argue that as AI effortlessly replicates beloved artistic styles, oversaturation is inevitable risking the loss of the very magic that makes animation so special.

Hayao Miyazaki, head of Studio Ghibli, once delivered a power-wrenching speech, expressing his disgust at AI-generated forms of animation and art, seeing it as “an insult to life itself”. He further elaborated that AI has never felt pain, sadness or any element of human disability and cannot possibly understand how this as a role in creative production.

Miyazaki’s words are a powerful reminder that creativity isn’t just about technique—it's about feeling. AI cannot experience human emotions, yet it is now capable of mimicking the visual language of human expression. This raises a crucial question: Can a machine ever truly create art that resonates on a human level?

Arguments do not end here; copyright debates continue to plague the integration of AI into the creative industry. Leading voices in the UK’s creative sectors from Channel 4’s chief executive Alex Mahon, to British designer Tom Dixon, have called for a response to copyright laws, as AI threatens to take the value out of the £125bn creative industry.

The UK Government aims to make Britain the best place to live and work with AI creative technologies. However, to achieve this, many are now in favour of supporting the Opt-in model protecting artists and the future role of AI in creative industries.

Alongside the UK’s proposition for copyright change, nearly 4,000 supporters signed an open letter in February 2025 relating to the sale of AI art in an upcoming auction sale solely dedicated to art crafted with AI in intelligence. Artists in responses to the auction mentioned that the use of AI art is theft and results from the combination of millions of images causing a long debate over ownership.

Despite calls for accountability, a proposition has emerged among influential leaders and researchers regarding the future of AI in creative industries. Midst challenges, OpenAI and other developers are facing lawsuits for training their LLM models to replicate the works of studios with profoundly protected copyrights. These lawsuits could lead to charges and the need for AI developers to compensate copyright holders, creating further challenges for the development of image-based text-to-image technologies.

This week’s AI revolution suggests that society is more concerned with protecting creative works than prioritising the development of life-saving medical treatments, a point made even more striking as OpenAI’s CEO laughed off the viral backlash.

While some view AI as a form of art theft, similar to the backlash against NFTs, many in the creative community are united in ensuring that AI will not replace traditional forms of production in photography, design, animation, and cinema, as each has its unique role and contribution.

As the world marketing industry turns to ChatGPT & MidJourney to generate images for their impactful campaigns and what would seem as levelling out the creative field making it accessible for all, there’s a growing concern that AI-created art could soon replace the need for human creativity reducing the need for original art in the market.

Current Research & Landscape:

Midst copyright congruous and creative debates, a study completed on Generative Artificial intelligence, human creativity and art has found that image-based creativity increases by 25% and social engagement by 50%. Despite impressive capabilities and all its flair, some say that AI is meaningless without human interaction even though it cannot be inherently creative. While AI is a recent worldwide development which can create mind-bending pieces of art, it still fails to curate content deemed original or unique and will unlikely replace true human creativity as human experience and skill remain detrimental.

AI might help artists and creators come up with fresh ideas, but over time, the quality can decrease with floods of similar, uninspired works, narrowing innovative thinking. Without a clear framework for integrating AI into creative spaces, companies risk alienating artists who see AI as diminishing the artistic process rather than enhancing it.

Others argue that AI offers great opportunities and has the potential to further leverage creativity. However, without regulation and protection from Governments to ensure a collaborative future between technology and humans, the future of creative industries remains largely undefined, especially for the traditional ones.

Future of AI:

The lack of industry-wide agreement on AI’s role is making it harder for businesses to fully embrace it. How do you balance the drive for efficiency with staying true to what’s authentic?

AI is not inherently good or bad for creativity—it all depends on how it is used. To move forward, businesses, creatives, and researchers must find common ground and protect human creativity regardless of its definition or viewpoint. While the sciences and creatives have long argued over what is right perhaps, the future role of technology will bridge this gap creating a new multi-disciplinary future.

AI certainly has potential, but unless it’s seamlessly integrated into creative processes alongside human creativity, we’ll just end up with a stream of uninspired results. However, if we can blend AI into workflows in a way that complements human creativity, we might just push boundaries and innovate across multiple disciplines, achieving something truly groundbreaking.

As AI developments continue and have a role in shaping human creativity and innovation regardless of the viewpoint of professionals, academics and artists, pro-active and bold governance is required to ensure that the core elements of human creativity are protected and safeguarded for human integrity.