ChatGPT just went viral—again—and this time, it's pushing OpenAI into record-breaking territory. Following the launch of its updated GPT-4o model, users flooded social media with Studio Ghibli-style images, sending weekly active users past 150 million for the first time this year. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed that one million users joined in just a single hour—five times faster than during ChatGPT's initial launch. SensorTower data showed week-over-week gains of 11% in downloads, 5% in usage, and 6% in in-app revenue. Compared to last year, app revenue is up more than 500%. Altman's own X profile now features a Ghibli-style portrait—a nod to just how big the trend has become.
But the viral moment is also testing OpenAI's limits. GPU capacity is maxed out, and the company has started rate-limiting image generations just to keep things running. Altman has been candid on X, warning users that new features will be delayed, some image requests may be rejected, and the service could remain glitchy for now. “Can y'all please chill on generating images?” he joked. Behind the scenes, OpenAI is urgently sourcing GPUs in massive volumes to scale up. For investors, the underlying message is clear: demand isn't just high—it's overwhelming. And that means suppliers like Nvidia (NVDA, Financial) and Super Micro (SMCI, Financial) may see even stronger tailwinds.
Legal questions are beginning to surface too. Ghibli-style art may not violate copyright on its own, but the lines are blurry. OpenAI hasn't commented on how it trained its models, and Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki's past remarks—calling AI art “utterly disgusting”—have resurfaced. That hasn't slowed the momentum. For now, the spotlight is back on OpenAI, and this breakout moment could accelerate the broader AI flywheel. Investors eyeing Tesla (TSLA, Financial) and other AI-linked plays should be paying close attention as GPU demand heats up and the next wave of AI applications takes shape.
