Over the last several years, we’ve been witnessing historical milestones in the AI era as OpenAI introduces cutting-edge AI products. The company behind ChatGPT has garnered viral attention, with its most recent success linked to the release of its innovative GPT-4 image generator. This tool has sparked millions of memes based on Studio Ghibli characters that have been widely shared on social media.
Yet, the excitement was accompanied by certain difficulties, such as the postponement in releasing the image generator for users who don’t have a premium account.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, playfully mentioned that the excitement surrounding their tool was so high it seemed to overheat their computer processors (GPUs), causing them to impose temporary usage limits while they dealt with the problem. He asked users to reduce the number of images they were generating, explaining that his team needed a break and some time off to recharge.
As an analyst, I found it intriguing that the “biblical-like” demand for GPT-4o’s Studio Ghibli memes led ChatGPT to gain an additional million users in just under an hour. This surge can be largely credited to the photorealistic capabilities of its image generator, which sets it apart from other tools such as DALL-E 3’s image generation technology.
In simpler terms, Sam Altman acknowledged that the company behind ChatGPT had to resort to unusual strategies due to the unexpected surge caused by the Ghibli effect. Although he didn’t disclose the specific actions taken, he provided additional insights on OpenAI’s future, including Stargate and robots, in a recent interview with Bloomberg’s Emily Chang.
The executive described the recurring viral incidents that seem to constantly affect OpenAI as “unusual and unprecedented.” He further noted, “I’ve encountered viral situations before, but nothing compares to the overwhelming surge in demand we’re experiencing.
Altman acknowledges that producing an image through the company’s novel image generator is not a computationally light endeavor. This realization led OpenAI to engage in several common actions, such as:
1. Optimizing their system for better efficiency.
2. Implementing advanced algorithms to speed up processing.
3. Allocating more computational resources to the task at hand.
4. Fine-tuning the image generator to improve its performance.
5. Ensuring a balance between quality and resource usage.
6. Continuously monitoring and adjusting the system for optimal results.
- Borrowing compute capacity from OpenAI’s research division
- Slow down the release of features.
Altman pointed out that OpenAI doesn’t have an excess of thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs) sitting idle, waiting to be used. He explained that having more GPUs would enable the company to manage demand spikes more effectively, reducing the need for strict measures like rate limits and delayed deliveries for free users.
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2025-06-13 12:09