As OpenAI’s GPT-4o image generation tool goes viral, CEO Sam Altman humorously pleads for users to “chill” while the team battles overloaded servers and sleepless nights.
Washington DC [US], March 31:
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had a light-hearted plea for the internet on Sunday — ease up on generating AI images, because his team desperately needs some sleep!
In a tongue-in-cheek post on X, Altman wrote, “can y’all please chill on generating images this is insane our team needs sleep.” The comment comes as users across social media flood the platform with AI-generated visuals using OpenAI’s newly released GPT-4o model.
Just days earlier, Altman quipped that their GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) were “melting” due to the overwhelming number of image generation requests. “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT. But our GPUs are melting,” he posted, adding that temporary rate limits would be introduced to keep systems running smoothly. The free-tier users of ChatGPT will soon be limited to three generations per day until further optimization is completed.
The recent viral boom followed the release of OpenAI’s most advanced image generator yet — an upgrade that includes enhanced visual rendering, better text generation in images, and the ability to process more nuanced prompts. It also introduces a creative spark that’s sparked both fascination and controversy online.
Among the most prominent trends: AI-generated art mimicking the whimsical style of Japan’s legendary animation studio, Studio Ghibli. From political moments like Donald Trump’s White House face-off with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to fan-favorite shows like The Sopranos and South Park, users have recreated scenes in Ghibli’s enchanting visual aesthetic using both ChatGPT and OpenAI’s text-to-video platform, Sora.
While these viral recreations highlight the power and appeal of generative AI, they’ve also reignited discussions around copyright, ethics, and artistic originality. CNN noted that OpenAI’s models were trained on a vast variety of styles, but the legal gray area surrounding visual mimicry continues to be a hot topic.
Meanwhile, Altman and the OpenAI team are busy behind the scenes — managing server strain, refining performance, and perhaps, just hoping for a nap.