ChatGPT Breaks Records with Rapid User Growth Following New Image Features

OpenAI has set new milestones as its CEO, Sam Altman, announced that ChatGPT gained one million users within just one hour. This surge followed the introduction of a new capability for image generation that has taken social media by storm, largely inspired by Studio Ghibli’s enchanting art style.

Altman shared this remarkable achievement on the platform X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. He mentioned that the ChatGPT launch 26 months prior was a groundbreaking viral moment, stating that the service had reached one million users in five days. He highlighted that they reached a million users again, but this time in a mere hour.

This massive uptick is linked to OpenAI’s latest image generation features, which were incorporated into GPT-4o last week. Users can now create stylized images based on text prompts and uploaded photos directly within ChatGPT, eliminating the need for external tools like DALL·E.

“the chatgpt launch 26 months ago was one of the craziest viral moments, and we added one million users in five days. we added one million users in the last hour.” — Sam Altman (@sama) March 31, 2025

Much of the excitement is centred on the platform’s extraordinary ability to produce Ghibli-style artwork. Users have been eagerly submitting prompts to “Ghiblize” their selfies, pets, family photos, and even scenes from Bollywood films, leading to a vibrant wave of creativity online.

However, even with such virality, there are boundaries, particularly concerning infrastructure. In a subsequent communication, Altman mentioned, “our GPUs are melting,” requesting users to moderate their use of the new feature.

This innovative functionality resonates not only with AI aficionados but also with mainstream users eager for fun and sophisticated art creation. From anime-inspired edits to various marketing campaigns, Ghibli-style images have surged across platforms such as X, Instagram, and Reddit in recent days.

The latest growth at OpenAI mirrors the introductory phase of ChatGPT in 2022, which saw the chatbot achieve one million users in merely five days. This time around, however, the increase occurred within minutes, highlighting the expanding reach of AI technologies.

Currently, the company has not disclosed a new total user count, yet if this trajectory persists, it may soon surpass even the most optimistic projections.

It remains to be seen whether OpenAI’s infrastructure can accommodate the rising demand for users. Still, the trend is evident: AI-generated art is moving from a niche market into the mainstream, advancing at an unprecedented pace.