OpenAI CEO’s post featuring his newborn son in a dreamy animated style stirs emotions online amid GPT-4o image feature frenzy.
New York | April 2, 2025 —
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman melted hearts on the internet on Wednesday after sharing a stunning Ghibli-style AI-generated image of himself cradling his son. In the touching artwork, Altman is seen gently holding his sleeping child in his lap, exuding a serene, protective warmth reminiscent of Studio Ghibli’s iconic animation style.
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The portrait, shared on platform X (formerly Twitter), quickly went viral as fans praised its emotional depth and visual appeal. The image showcases the latest GPT-4o-powered image-generation tool, which has recently taken the internet by storm.
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“Just watching over him,” Altman captioned the post, which has since amassed thousands of likes and shares.
— Sam Altman (@sama) April 2, 2025
👶 A Glimpse Into Fatherhood
The post marks a rare public moment for Altman, who earlier this year welcomed his first child with his partner Oliver Mulherin, a software engineer. In a previous emotional post, Altman revealed that their son was born prematurely and had spent time in the NICU.
Also Read: How to Create Studio Ghibli-Inspired Images for Free Without ChatGPT
“He is doing well, and it’s really nice to be in a little bubble taking care of him. I have never felt such love,” he had written.
The couple reportedly tied the knot in a quiet seaside ceremony between late 2023 and early 2024. While the wedding photos surfaced only in January, Altman later confirmed the marriage, choosing to keep their personal life mostly private.
🎨 Ghibli-Style Trend Goes Viral
Altman’s post arrives amid record-high usage of OpenAI’s image-generation feature, which allows users to create portraits in the whimsical, hand-painted style made famous by Studio Ghibli.
Since its rollout via GPT-4o, social media platforms have been flooded with ethereal, animated depictions of everything from pets and families to fantasy landscapes and childhood memories.
The surge in popularity has led to heavy server loads, prompting Altman to issue a gentle plea earlier this week: “Please slow down.”
💬 Internet Reacts
The portrait prompted a wave of reactions online, with many calling it “pure,” “magical,” and “the future of storytelling.” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was among those who congratulated the couple when they first announced the baby’s arrival earlier this year.
“It’s so beautiful. You can feel the love in this image,” wrote one user.
“The soft glow, the protective embrace—this is exactly what Ghibli magic looks like,” said another.
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Sam Altman, Ghibli-style AI portrait, OpenAI, GPT-4o, AI art, Studio Ghibli, AI-generated images, Altman son, Sam Altman family, Oliver Mulherin, AI trends 2025, viral moments, X post, emotional AI art, OpenAI CEO