ChatGPT-4o Image Generation: Explosive Popularity Amid Copyright Controversy
ChatGPT-4o Image Generation: Explosive Popularity Amid Copyright Controversy
ChatGPT-4o's image generation feature has taken social media by storm, allowing users to transform their photos into anime-style characters. With daily users surpassing 1.25 million, the service has seen unprecedented growth. However, concerns are mounting in legal circles regarding potential copyright infringement in AI training processes.
1. 1.25 Million Daily Users and Server Overload
According to data from mobile analytics platform IGAWorks, the number of daily active users (DAU) of ChatGPT in South Korea reached an all-time high of 1,252,925 as of March 27. This marks a rapid increase of 250,000 users in just two weeks since first surpassing the 1 million mark on March 10.
The explosive growth is attrbuted to the viral spread of ChatGPT-4o’s image generation feature on social media, where users are transforming not only their own faces but also pets, celebrities, and movie scenes into various anime styles.
With the surge in users, server overload has become a pressing issue. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman noted, “It took five days for ChatGPT to reach 1 million users when it first launched, but now it took just one hour.” He also previously stated, “Our GPUs are melting,” in response to the skyrocketing demand.
2. Surge in Paid Users, Premium Plans Reaching $200 per Month
ChatGPT’s premium plans range from $20 per month to $200, depending on the features offered. One user shared, “I initially used the free version, but the processing time was too long, so I eventually subscribed. I don’t regret it despite the monthly fee.”
3. Copyright Infringement Concerns Over AI Training
Amidst its popularity, concerns over copyright infringement are growing. Legal experts warn that if AI has been trained using copyrighted materials without permission, OpenAI could face legal consequences.
Kim Jung-min, an attorney at Weon Law Firm, stated, “Simply mimicking a particular studio’s art style does not constitute copyright infringement, as styles are not protected under copyright law. However, if OpenAI used original works from Ghibli or other studios without compensation, it could be a violation.”
Similarly, Kim Kyung-hwan from Minhoo Law Firm added, “If an art style is unique enough to be distinguishable and possesses originality, it may be protected by copyright. Using copyrighted works for AI training without permission is, in principle, a copyright infringement.”
4. Ongoing Legal Disputes in the U.S.
Legal action has already been taken in the U.S., where The New York Times and several renowned authors have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the company of unauthorized use of their works for AI training.
According to the 2023 Generative AI Copyright Guide published by the Korea Copyright Commission and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, AI-generated images can be considered copyright violations if they are found to be similar to existing works. The key factors in determining infringement are:
- Reference Use (Dependency): Whether the AI used existing copyrighted works for reference.
- Substantial Similarity: Whether the generated image is significantly similar to an existing copyrighted work.
However, legal experts argue that "art style" itself is difficult to protect under copyright law. Attorney Park Ae-ran from the Korea Copyright Commission explained, “For example, Van Gogh’s paintings can be copyrighted, but his painting style cannot.” She also pointed out that distinguishing between style and creative expression remains a challenge.
Conclusion
While ChatGPT-4o’s image generation feature has gained massive popularity and set new trends, copyright concerns regarding AI training continue to grow. As legal interpretations remain divided, clearer guidelines on AI-generated content and intellectual property rights are needed.