OpenAI Implements Rate Limits Amid Viral AI Art Trend

According to Cointelegraph, OpenAI has introduced rate limits following a viral trend on social media that transformed various images into AI art inspired by the renowned Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was among the first to participate in this trend, sharing a portrait of himself generated by the model on March 25. However, he later announced that the surge in image requests was straining the company's infrastructure. Altman expressed his excitement over the popularity of the images generated by ChatGPT but acknowledged the challenges posed by the increased demand. "It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT, but our GPUs are melting. We are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient," he stated. He also mentioned that some image generations were being incorrectly refused and assured users that these issues were being addressed promptly. OpenAI's upgraded image generation feature in ChatGPT-4o, launched on March 25, has led to a widespread sharing of images in the Studio Ghibli art style, known for iconic anime films like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. While Altman did not specify how long the rate limits would remain in place, he expressed hope for a swift resolution, indicating that the ChatGPT free tier would soon allow three generations per day. OpenAI explained that rate limits are necessary to manage the overall load on its infrastructure, ensuring a smooth and consistent experience for all users. The company noted that a dramatic increase in API requests could strain servers and lead to performance issues, making rate limits a crucial measure. The trend has attracted widespread participation, including notable figures such as X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who shared an image resembling King Mufasa from Disney’s The Lion King holding a Shiba Inu. Additionally, White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks joined in by using the Studio Ghibli art style for an image of himself at an event. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported on March 26 that OpenAI anticipates more than tripling its revenue this year to $12.7 billion, according to a source familiar with the matter. Altman also mentioned plans to release GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 in the coming weeks or months, signaling continued advancements in AI technology.