Razmig Bedirian joined The National in 2019 as Arts & Culture writer, covering books, film, television and theatre.
April 02, 2025
The internet has been overtaken by AI-generated images rendered in the style of Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation house known for its beloved films such as Spirited Awayand Howl’s Moving Castle.
On the surface, it all seems innocent enough. People are prompting AI services, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to recreate photos of their weddings, pets and loved ones as Ghibli-inspired versions. The large, expressive eyes, warm tonal palette, vibrant backgrounds and general aesthetic are unmistakably in the style of Hayao Miyazaki, the founder of Studio Ghibli.
The trend has cajoled public figures from Mike Tyson to Narendra Modi into posting AI-generated pictures of themselves with the Ghibli treatment. Even the White House’s official X account used the aesthetic in a controversial post that shows an ICE agent arresting a sobbing Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a convicted fentanyl dealer and illegal migrant.
The White House post was in poor taste, but the entire trend has ethical implications that many using the ChatGPT function may not initially consider. The deluge of images has effectively become a frontline in the debate surrounding the ethics of artificial intelligence, specifically its use on copyrighted works and how this will affect the livelihood of artists.
At one end of the spectrum, there is the argument that AI is only a tool that can never replicate the sensibilities of a human artist. AI-generated art, no matter if it is replicating the style of Studio Ghibli or Henri Matisse, will only be able to create works that exist in the space occupied by corporate art and hotel room canvases. That is, works that may seem aesthetically pleasing but lack depth, serving to only break the blankness of a wall.
But there is a more disruptive dimension to consider – the flagrant and irresponsible overstepping of tech companies over intellectual property.
The use of Miyazaki’s aesthetic in the latest viral storm is representative of a bigger issue. The Japanese animation studio is not likely to lose money if you put in a photograph taken on your honeymoon in Mykonos and give it the Ghibli treatment. But there are independent artists to consider, ones who risk having their unique designs or styles appropriated by online product sellers.
Take the case of Vanessa Bowman, for instance. The UK painter is known for her works inspired by an idyllic rural life. Her unique designs had been stolen and imprinted on clothing by the online fashion giant Shein.
Hayao Miyazaki openly expressed his disgust for artificial intelligence in 2016. AP
“They didn’t remotely bother trying to change anything,” she told The Guardian in 2022. “The things I paint are my garden and my little village: it’s my life. And they’ve just taken my world to China and whacked it on an acrylic jumper.”
AI further complicates a tough battle for independent artists. A company no longer needs to take specific work to incorporate into their products, circumventing more clear-cut copyright laws to instead create designs inspired by an artist’s aesthetic. Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg of repercussions this will entail. It does not just put an artist’s creative identity and income at risk, but also that of fashion and graphic designers who would possibly have been employed by companies such as Shein.
Studio Ghibli, the Japanese studio behind films including Kiki's Delivery Service, is unlikely to be economically affected by AI's use of its work, it does put independent artists at risk. Photo: Studio Ghibli
AI is a powerful tool that can be incorporated into the daily creative workflow in wonderful ways, spurring new movements in art and creativity. The issue is not the technology, but the nature of how Big Tech is ignoring copyright law – as well as the artist’s wishes.
The Studio Ghibli trend is an especially symbolic one for this reason, particularly because Miyazaki has previously spoken out against it. A 2016 clip showing him talking about AI-created animation has become widely shared after the deluge of Ghibli-styled images.
“I am utterly disgusted,” Miyazaki says in the video to a group of designers who had experimented with AI. “If you want to make creepy stuff, you can go ahead and do it. I would never wish to incorporate this technology into my work at all. I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself.”
Later, the Studio Ghibli co-founder adds: “I feel like we are nearing the end of times. We humans are losing faith in ourselves.”
Whether you agree with Miyazaki’s statements or not isn’t the point. It is the case of an artist explicitly stating his distaste for the technology and yet having his wishes ignored.
For OpenAI to allow users to create Ghibli-styled images is an insult to the artist. It implies that the artist and their intentions do not matter. Only their work and aesthetic do. It is a situation that could dishearten the artists of tomorrow, and diminish their creative agency while keeping the field wide open for content to overrun art.
Read next: Israeli army's militarising of Studio Ghibli trend sparks online backlash
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
