Your kid has hopped onto the Ghibli trend too – One moment, your kid is happily playing on your phone. The next, they’re shoving the screen in your face, beaming, “Look, I look like an anime princess!”

You take a look at the picture, and it’s breathtaking. A soft-lit, dreamy Ghibli style image that makes them look straight out of a Studio Ghibli film. The internet is flooded with these. Everyone’s using AI-powered tools to generate Ghibli-style photos that look like they belong in Hanuman or Chhota Bheem.

It’s adorable. It’s fun. It’s also… potentially a privacy disaster waiting to happen.

What Exactly Is The Ghibli Trend?

If you haven’t yet encountered this trend (lucky you, because it’s everywhere), here’s how it works:

1. You upload a real photo of yourself or your child.

2. AI works its magic, transforming it into a Ghibli-style image—soft textures, watercolor hues, that classic Studio Ghibli aesthetic.

3. You share it because, let’s be honest, it looks amazing.

The problem? Most people don’t realize where their uploaded photos actually go.

Where Do These AI-Generated Ghibli Photos End Up?

Here’s the not-so-cute part of this Ghibli-style photo trend:

1. AI Apps Store Your Photos – Many AI generators don’t just create an image and forget it. They store, analyze, and sometimes even reuse your uploaded photos to train their AI models.

2. Facial Recognition Risks – AI learns facial structures, making it easier for companies (or worse, hackers) to track identities.

3. Deepfake & Misuse Potential – If AI can turn a photo into an anime version, what else can it do with those facial features? Exactly.

4. No ‘Undo’ Button – Once an AI tool has your image, deleting it isn’t always an option. You don’t get control over how your child’s Ghibli-style photo might be used in the future.

Now, if this sounds too paranoid, let’s take a quick detour into some real-life privacy disasters involving AI.

AI Privacy Scandals That Should Make Parents Think Twice

1. FaceApp (2019): Remember the viral app that showed you how you’d look at 80? It was later revealed that FaceApp stored facial data and possibly shared it with third parties.
   

2. Lensa AI (2022): A viral app that turned selfies into AI portraits. People later realized it kept metadata, meaning those images could be used for future AI training—without permission.
   

3. Snapchat My AI (2023): Parents were alarmed when Snapchat introduced its AI chatbot, which engaged with kids in ways that raised privacy concerns.

Now, fast-forward to 2025, and we’re back to another AI photo trend—this time with Ghibli-style images. Different trend, same privacy risks.

What Can Parents Do to Protect Their Kids?

1. Think Before You Upload – Would you be comfortable if this Ghibli-style image of your child ended up in an AI database forever?
   Educate your kids on the pros and cons of such trends, have a friendly conversation with them, and let them make the decision for themselves
   

2. Read the Privacy Policy – Many apps bury the important details in their T&Cs. A quick Google search can tell you if an app saves user images. This could help you be confident.
   

3. Use AI Tools That Delete Data – Some AI tools don’t store images—look for those instead.
   

4. Turn Off Facial Recognition on Devices – This prevents AI tools from linking images to online profiles.
   

5. Avoid Uploading Close-Up Faces – If your child really wants a Ghibli-style photo, try using side profiles or heavily edited pictures instead of clear facial images.

AI can be incredibly fun and creative, but not all AI trends are harmless. The Ghibli-style photo trend is beautiful, nostalgic, and magical—just like Studio Ghibli films. But before you upload, ask yourself:

• Who owns this image once I upload it?

• Can this AI tool store or reuse my child’s face?

• Would I be comfortable if this Ghibli-style image appeared in an ad or AI-generated art project years from now?

A little digital awareness can help kids enjoy AI safely—without turning their childhood photos into training data for unknown companies.

FAQ’s:

Q. Why is the controversy behind Studio Ghibli trend?
A. The Studio Ghibli trend controversy revolves around AI-generated Ghibli-style images, raising concerns about copyright, artistic integrity, and user privacy.

Q. What is ChatGPT Ghibli Art?
A. It refers to AI-generated Ghibli-style images created using ChatGPT-powered tools or similar AI models, mimicking the iconic animation style of Studio Ghibli films.

Q. Who started the AI-generated Ghibli photo trend?
A. Grant Slatton, the Seattle-based engineer whose simple tweet turned AI-powered Ghiblified portraits into the internet's latest sensation.

Q. Why is Ghibli so famous?
A. Studio Ghibli is renowned for its breathtaking animation, emotional storytelling, and iconic films like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle, beloved worldwide.

Q. Who is the artist behind Studio Ghibli?
A. Legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki co-founded Studio Ghibli and directed masterpieces that define the studio’s signature visual and storytelling style.