AI's recent leaps have captivated the world, from image and video generation to smart conversations and document processing. More and more people are diving into this new tech, inevitably sparking a fair share of controversy.
You've probably seen them everywhere: those "AI-generated Ghibli-style images." They're flooding the internet, even popping up in official government communications. But recently, a Japanese X (formerly Twitter) user's hilarious rant about their dad's new "AI Ghibli-style" LINE profile pic went viral, igniting a massive wave of agreement from netizens who are just as fed up with these images.
The original poster revealed that ever since his dad retired, he's been glued to political YouTube videos, almost like an addiction. And now, he's even gone and whipped up his own AI profile picture! The poster couldn't help but call it "the absolute worst profile picture." Even funnier, his mom's chill response was, "I've been reading 2ch's Kijo-ban for 20 years; I'm used to this kind of thing."
(For context, Kijo-ban refers to a discussion board for married women, mostly filled with complaints about married life.)
Many other users quickly chimed in with similar experiences: "This art style seriously looks like a degraded Ghibli; it's so tiring and fake to look at." "My dad's background image is one of these, it's tragically bad..." A lot of people described them as "repulsive," "fake and tacky," and even giving off "major scam vibes."
Numerous comments pointed out that the discomfort with these AI illustrations isn't purely anti-AI sentiment. Instead, it's because these images often feel like collages, lack genuine creativity, and are frequently abused by scam accounts or sponsored posts, making them instantly off-putting. One netizen even quipped, "It feels like walking around with a fake designer bag – cheap and embarrassing."
However, not everyone shared the same view. Some argued that this style is actually considered "approachable and fresh" in certain circles, especially among active middle-aged professionals like doctors, sales reps, and venture capital bosses who apparently love the aesthetic. Another comment noted, "There are quite a lot of people using these AI profile pics on Instagram; you can clearly feel the difference across different demographics."
This "AI profile pic aesthetic war" also highlights a generational divide. One user analyzed, "Some middle-aged folks think using AI or new tech makes them look cool, like they're totally in tune with trends. But for younger people, it's just a symbol of cheapness and poor taste."
Of course, setting aside any debates about copyright or whether some netizens consider it "blasphemy against Ghibli," the increasing prevalence of these images truly underscores the split in public perception. What's your take on these AI-generated visuals?
via： togetter