ChatGPT image tool draws a million new users in one hour

Cici Cao and Reuters

ChatGPT gained one million new users in an hour yesterday, following the latest launch of its most advanced AI image generator to date, according to OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.

The tool, available to all free-tier ChatGPT users, sparked a social media trend imitating the work of Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli while also raising copyright concerns.

A tag #ghibliredraw in Instagram recorded 104,000 posts, and #ghiblistyle 101,000 posts.

However, a video on Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki has also been widely shared, in which he criticized AI-generated art as an "insult to life itself."

Miyazaki is well-known for his detailed hand-drawn animation.

Data from AI analytics platform aitools.xyz shows ChatGPT recorded 500 million views in February, compared to 525 million visits of its rising rival DeepSeek.

No data on the number of ChatGPT's users was disclosed.

This came as OpenAI said it would raise US$40 billion (HK$312 billion) in a new funding round led by SoftBank Group at a US$300 billion valuation to advance AI research, expand computational infrastructure and enhance its tools.

SoftBank would provide 75 percent of the funding, with the remainder coming from Microsoft, Coatue Management, Altimeter Capital and Thrive Capital.