On 25 March 2025, OpenAI added a new image-generation ability to ChatGPT, and within days social media filled with photos restyled as hand-drawn cartoons, many imitating a famous animation studio's look. Demand was so high that the company said its systems were strained.
Why it caught on
The tool follows detailed instructions, handles text inside images better than earlier ones and can edit a photo you upload. For many people it was the first time AI art felt personal and easy.
The questions underneath
- Style and copyright. Can an AI copy the look of living artists or studios? Laws differ between countries and many cases are still before the courts.
- Privacy. Uploading a photo of yourself, and especially of children, shares personal data with a company.
- Consent. Editing someone else's photo without asking can embarrass or harm them.
A simple family rule
Do not upload pictures of children to AI tools without thinking it through. Read how the service uses uploaded images, and keep a copy of the original.
For young creators
Using AI is fine, but encourage children to draw, design and build things themselves first. A child who has made a character from scratch, even in Scratch, understands what goes into creative work and respects it.