'Y'all are not ready': OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teases ‘Images v2’ amid demand surge for Ghibli art, but there could be a catch

Amid a global frenzy over creation of Ghibli-inspired AI images using ChatGPT, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Wednesday hinted that the next version of the image generator might be around the corner. "Y'all are not ready for images v2..." Altman tweeted. 

Propelled by OpenAI's recent updates to its GPT-4o model, the tool's advanced image-generation capabilities have drawn a new wave of creativity online. The trend, which has captivated users globally, involves generating Ghibli-style portraits reminiscent of classics like "Spirited Away." 

While Altman's tweet has led to speculations on the release of the next version, there could be a catch: hours before he had tweeted that any new releases from OpenAI could be delayed. 

"We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from openai to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges... working as fast we can to really get stuff humming; if anyone has GPU capacity in 100k chunks we can get asap please call!" Altman said amid the Ghibli art-induced strain on OpenAI's infrastructure. 

"It's super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT. But our GPUs are melting," Altman had commented a few days earlier. The sudden influx of users led to delays and temporary suspensions of the image-generation feature, highlighting the platform's capacity issues. 

He had revealed that ChatGPT's active user base surpassed 150 million for the first time this year. "We added one million users in the last hour," he added, showcasing the surge that came on the back of the viral trend.

Previously exclusive to premium users, the image generator is now accessible to all ChatGPT users, further fuelling its popularity. The craze has seen images from popular films like "The Godfather" and "Harry Potter" reimagined in Ghibli style, alongside scenes inspired by world events and famous Hindi films. However, the surge in activity has occasionally slowed service, as OpenAI works to manage the increased demand. 

Global app downloads and weekly active users increased by 11% and 5%, respectively, from the previous week, according to SensorTower data. Altman noted the strain on resources, appealing for additional GPU capacity: "We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed."