Is Uploading Photos for a Studio Ghibli Makeover on ChatGPT Safe?

Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Ghibli-style AI image generator last week, it has quickly gone viral on social media. From politicians and celebrities to ordinary users, many are sharing their AI-generated portraits in the iconic style of Ghibli legend Hayao Miyazaki. The latest version allows users to transform their own photos, or even popular internet memes, into stunning Ghibli-inspired artwork.

However, not everyone is supportive of the trend. Digital privacy advocates on the social media platform X are raising concerns, suggesting that OpenAI may be using this trend to collect thousands of personal images for AI training. While users are enjoying the feature, critics caution that they might unknowingly be providing OpenAI with new facial data, which could lead to significant privacy issues.

The activists, however, urged that OpenAI’s data collection strategy is more than just an AI copyright issue. According to them, it allows the company to acquire voluntarily submitted images, bypassing legal restrictions that apply to web-scraped data.

Under GDPR regulations, OpenAI is required to justify scraping images from the internet based on the legal ground of “legitimate interest.” This means they must put in place extra measures to protect user privacy and ensure compliance. They must show that data collection is essential, does not infringe on individuals’ rights, and adheres to strict transparency and accountability standards.

In a detailed post on X, Luiza Jarovsky, co-founder of the AI, Tech & Privacy Academy, explained that when individuals voluntarily upload their images, they are granting OpenAI consent to process them (under Article 6.1.a of the GDPR). This provides OpenAI with a different legal basis, giving them more flexibility, and the legitimate interest balancing test is no longer relevant.

Also Read: Myanmar Quake Released Energy Equal to 334 Atomic Bombs

What ChatGPT said

OpenAI has not yet released a statement regarding the safety of personal data for users using the Ghibli-style AI image generator. However, when HT asked ChatGPT whether it is safe to upload personal photos to the Ghibli art generator, it responded, “No, it’s not safe to upload personal photos to any AI tool unless you’re sure about its privacy policies and data handling practices. OpenAI does not retain or use uploaded images beyond the current session, but it’s always better to avoid sharing sensitive or personal images with AI services. If privacy is a concern, consider using offline tools or apps designed for secure image processing.”

Before engaging in the latest AI image trend, it’s important to be mindful of the risks to your privacy. You should think carefully before uploading personal photos for AI-generated images and avoid sharing high-resolution images on social media, as they can be scraped for AI training. Additionally, consider using PINs or passwords instead of relying on facial recognition to unlock your devices. It’s also wise to review which apps have camera access and limit permissions to protect your privacy.

Also Read: The Lamborghini that ran into two in Noida belongs to YouTuber Mridul Tiwari