The dynamic world today is progressing actively in technology, where AI is standing out not only among engineers but also among the general public. As people experiment with this tech intelligence, some technologies have grabbed the spotlight and ignited viral trends. This week has been no different, with major updates capturing attention across social media.
ChatGPT’s viral Studio Ghibli-inspired image generator has led users into a frenzy. Following this trend, many other tech brands have entered the race to lead in AI, and several social media platforms have rolled out new updates that users have welcomed enthusiastically. Here are the top five crazy social media trends stemming from ChatGPT's native image generation feature.
Users are still generating and posting ‘Ghiblified’ images of not only themselves but also popular scenes from Bollywood movies and iconic monuments. However, the overwhelming popularity of this feature caused OpenAI's infrastructure to experience excessive GPU load, leading to temporary limits on image generation. CEO Sam Altman spoke about the situation, stating that their GPUs were ‘melting’.
In a remarkable display of growth, ChatGPT gained one million new users in just one hour, driven by the viral popularity of its Ghibli-style image generation feature. In a post on X, Altman noted, “the ChatGPT launch 26 months ago was one of the craziest viral moments I’d ever seen, and we added one million users in five days.” He added, “we added one million users in the last hour,” urging users to slow down the image generation activity, saying, “Can y’all please chill on generating images? This is insane; our team needs sleep.”
Google also introduced its Gemini 2.5 Pro language model to all users, achieving an impressive accuracy score of 18.8% in testing on "Humanity's Last Exam." This version of Gemini can generate ‘Ghibli’ images for free and transform these images into whimsical versions of them. Additionally, it supports a 1 million-token context window, accommodating roughly 750,000 words in a prompt. Gemini 2.5 Pro has been praised for its extensive query support and deep contextual understanding.
As OpenAI imposed restrictions on ChatGPT’s image generation, users turned to Grok AI, xAI's text-to-image model, as an alternative. Grok AI became popular for its ability to create high-quality Studio Ghibli-style visuals with minimal censorship. Its user-friendly interface and creative output have made it a favorite among those looking for alternatives.
Instagram has also made waves by introducing a fast-forward option for reels, allowing users to play videos at double speed by long-pressing on either side of the screen. This feature, inspired by TikTok, enhances user control and engagement with short-form content like reels and is available to all Instagram users. It aligns with Meta’s strategy of incorporating innovative features to attract users.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp rolled out version 25.8.74, enabling iPhone users to set it as their default messaging and calling app. This update allows for seamless usage of the app, bypassing Apple’s Messages and FaceTime apps. Once set up, users can initiate calls or messages directly through WhatsApp, making communication easier.
Despite the excitement surrounding these updates, the surge in AI-generated animated images has raised copyright concerns and technological issues. Altman acknowledged that OpenAI plans to introduce rate limits on the Ghibli-style image generation feature to manage the overwhelming demand. He remarked, “Our graphic processing units are melting,” highlighting the strain on their infrastructure.
The daily active users (DAU) of ChatGPT reached a record 1.25 million as of March 27, 2025, up from 1.03 million on March 10 and 790,000 on March 1, 2025, according to data from industry tracker IGAWorks. This rapid growth is attributed to the popularity of the new image filter that transforms personal photos into illustrations inspired by Studio Ghibli films.
OpenAI's new image-generation tool allows users to convert their photos into illustrations reminiscent of the hand-drawn animation that Studio Ghibli is famous for. The feature gained global attention after Altman changed his profile picture on X to a Ghibli-style version of himself, sparking a wave of user interest.
However, the surge in demand has not come without its challenges. On March 30, 2025, ChatGPT experienced a global outage due to server overload from the demand for its Ghibli-style image generation feature. Reports indicated that 1,594 users reported issues with OpenAI’s services globally, with 94% of the outages specific to ChatGPT. Users took to social media to express their frustration, with many linking the service outage to an April Fool's prank.
As OpenAI acknowledged the server crash, they later updated that all impacted services had been “fully recovered.” The outage raised questions about whether OpenAI can manage the increased demand for advanced generative AI content.
In summary, the recent surge in interest surrounding ChatGPT’s Ghibli-style image generator has led to record user engagement, significant server challenges, and a flurry of updates from competing tech companies. As the world watches how OpenAI navigates these challenges, it remains clear that the fascination with AI-generated content continues to grow, reshaping how people interact with technology.
