AI is everywhere. From ChatGPT prompts to video and image generation tools, the proliferation of the technology has become impossible to escape.
One of the key 'looks' for certain AI-generated images, though, will be familiar to some: the Studio Ghibli 'filter' that turns real photographs and prompts into an anime-esque drawing, complete with a yellow hue that partially resembles work from the studio that brought us Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro.
Since the trend exploded in 2025, many have derided those who copied Studio Ghibli's work, especially as its legendary co-founder, Hayao Miyazaki, has long been a proponent of human artistry triumphing over all.
But, in a surprising admission in a new Bloomberg feature, some leaders at Studio Ghibli aren't exactly speaking out against AI – with one exception.
"We didn’t think much of it, to be honest," director Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao, said. "If someone started making a lot of money out of it, then it would be a problem."
Goro Miyazaki even pointed to an idea that the late Ghibli director Isao Takahata, who helmed underrated classic From Up on Poppy Hill, may have dabbled in AI if he were still alive.
"He was someone who was very interested in the latest technology," Miyazaki said.
Despite that, Studio Ghibli's position on AI is a surprisingly neutral one: “We’re not denying, or feeling negative, about AI technology itself.”
For an overview of what comes next in the industry, check out our guide to new anime.
You may even see some hand-drawn Ghibli classics pop up in our ranking of best anime movies.
