The recent viral spread of AI-generated images mimicking Studio Ghibli’s distinctive animation style has sparked significant debate about AI art attribution and authenticity. The images, which depicted scenes of American cities in the beloved Japanese animation studio’s style, initially circulated without proper attribution to their AI origins, leading to confusion and controversy. The incident highlights growing concerns about AI-generated content and the importance of transparency in digital creation. The images were actually created using Midjourney, an AI image generator, but were widely shared with captions suggesting they were official Studio Ghibli works. This misattribution demonstrates the increasing sophistication of AI art tools and their ability to convincingly replicate established artistic styles. The controversy has raised important questions about creative ownership, artistic authenticity, and the need for clear guidelines regarding AI-generated content attribution. The incident also underscores the challenges faced by traditional artists and studios as AI technology becomes more advanced in replicating distinctive artistic styles. While the images showcased the impressive capabilities of AI art generation, they also highlighted the ethical considerations surrounding AI’s role in creative industries and the importance of protecting original artists’ intellectual property rights. The situation has prompted calls for better systems to identify and properly attribute AI-generated content, as well as discussions about maintaining the balance between technological innovation and artistic integrity.