ChatGPT’s Viral Image Creator Is Overburdening OpenAI’s Servers — Here’s What’s Happening
Once again, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has captivated the online world — but this time, it’s not solely about engaging exchanges or programming assistance. The new launch of GPT-4o’s image creation functionalities has become a sensation, particularly fueled by a trend featuring Studio Ghibli-inspired illustrations. While this function has enchanted countless users, it’s also causing notable performance problems for the chatbot, resulting in delays, outages, and user dissatisfaction.
Here’s an overview of what is unfolding, its significance, and how OpenAI is responding to the issue.
The GPT-4o Image Creator: A Revolutionary Tool
In late March 2025, OpenAI unveiled an incredible new feature for ChatGPT: the image generation tool of GPT-4o. This upgrade enables users — including those on the no-cost tier — to produce high-quality images directly within ChatGPT. The tool quickly gained popularity, with users showcasing breathtaking visuals on various social media platforms.
A standout trend was the generation of Studio Ghibli-styled images. These enchanting, anime-inspired artworks sparked the creativity of users globally. However, the immense popularity of this feature has presented challenges.
The Studio Ghibli Influence: A Mixed Blessing
The demand for Ghibli-style images led to an influx of users eager to utilize ChatGPT’s image generation features. Users inundated the platform, many crafting deepfake-style images of famous personalities or simply exploring the new tool. While the inventive use was commendable, the sudden surge in traffic overloaded OpenAI’s servers.
Consequently, ChatGPT began to face widespread performance problems. Users reported sluggish response times, failed attempts, and total outages. Even paying ChatGPT Plus subscribers were impacted, causing discontent among those who anticipated a seamless experience.
OpenAI’s Address: Recognizing the Pressure
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman commented on the issue on X (previously Twitter), acknowledging the strain on their resources. “We are getting things under control,” Altman stated, “but you should foresee delays in new releases from OpenAI, issues arising, and occasional slow service while we manage capacity challenges.”
He also made a request for assistance, seeking access to GPU resources “in 100k increments” to address the high demand.
The company’s status page verifies the persistent issues, indicating nearly continuous service interruptions since the launch of the image generation tool. These disruptions have impacted users across the U.S., U.K., and other countries, with outages happening several times over multiple days.
Significance of the Outages
While it’s common for popular tech platforms to encounter growing pains, the current scenario underscores several critical issues:
1. Infrastructure Challenges: OpenAI’s servers were ill-equipped for the rapid increase in image generation requests. This raises concerns regarding scalability and future viability.
2. User Anticipations: Paying subscribers expect top-notch performance. When free users inundate the system with high-demand activities, it can diminish the overall experience for everyone.
3. Ethical Issues: The widespread use of AI to produce deepfake-style images — even in a playful Ghibli aesthetic — raises questions about potential misuse, misinformation, and the necessity for enhanced content oversight.
The Meteoric Rise of ChatGPT
Despite the setbacks, ChatGPT’s appeal continues to soar. According to data from Similarweb, the chatbot exceeded 150 million active weekly users following the image generation launch — an all-time high. This marks an increase from 145 million just prior to the GPT-4o image tool rollout.
This spike in usage came at a fortuitous moment for OpenAI, which had recently obtained $40 billion in new funding, including $10 billion in immediate capital. However, much of the remaining funding depends on the company shifting to a for-profit model by year’s end.
What Lies Ahead for ChatGPT?
OpenAI is hurrying to enhance its infrastructure to satisfy demand. But in the interim, users — both free and paid — may continue to face performance challenges. Altman has hinted at even more advanced image tools on the way, teasing “images v2” in a recent update.
For now, users who depend on ChatGPT for productivity, research, or leisure may need to exercise patience. OpenAI’s swift innovations are thrilling, but they also highlight the necessity for robust backend systems capable of managing viral success.
Concluding Thoughts
The GPT-4o image creator is a significant milestone, merging creativity and AI in a manner that’s accessible to millions. However, its triumph has revealed the limitations of OpenAI’s existing infrastructure. As the company strives to expand, it must navigate a careful balancing act: maintaining performance, ensuring ethical application, and continuing innovation — all while overseeing a constantly growing user base.
Until then, should your ChatGPT prompt time out or your image request be unsuccessful, you might just find yourself experiencing a Ghibli-inspired moment.
