After Studio Ghibli, ChatGPT's baby filter takes over the internet, but here¡¯s why it might not blow up the same way

Just when we thought the internet had peaked with the Ghibli trend, enter: the Baby Filter era. People are flooding their feeds with adorable AI-generated child versions of themselves, their friends, and even their pets (because why not?). The nostalgia is strong, the cheeks are chubby, and the energy is infant-core.

These baby faced reels have taken over from the Action Figure fad. pic.twitter.com/ASGVctQDDf

¡ª Mike McKwai (@MikeMcKwai) May 22, 2025

But let¡¯s pause the cooing for a second. While this trend is undeniably cute and "awww"-inducing, social media experts and internet watchdogs are already raising the question: Will it really explode like the Ghibli wave did?

Creating talking AI babies has never been easier. This was created using HeyGen's latest talking baby podcast feature. All you have to do is just type or upload a script. pic.twitter.com/qV3kHD9jWb

¡ª MetricsMule (@metricsmule) May 20, 2025

The viral Studio Ghibli trend that broke the internet

Let us rewind. The Ghibli trend, inspired by the dreamy aesthetics of Studio Ghibli, had such a wild response that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman jokingly asked people to chill out because ChatGPT was being flooded with requests to Ghibli-fy everything from selfies to sandwich pics. It was artful, emotional, and downright cinematic. The Baby Filter? It is fun. It is cute. But it is kind of¡­ basic?

Studio Ghibli | Credit: X

The tech behind the baby filter is solid, it uses AI and machine learning to shrink your face, smooth your skin, and balloon your eyes into toddler territory. The result? You look like a Pixar protagonist with a baby voice. Cool? Yes. Groundbreaking? Not really.

Studio Ghibli art | Credit: X

Why will the baby filter trend not blow up?

What is more, the visual repetition is already setting in. Ghibli content came in infinite styles and scenes, from forest walks to rainy nights with Totoro vibes. Baby filter content? It is the same face swap, again and again, just with different people.

?? Baby Podcast is live!
Can you guess which sitcom this little host is from?
You can create a talking baby character in under 10 minutes with just one image and a voice clip.
¨‹ Tutorial in the following tweet#AItools #BabyPodcast #2BrokeGirls #hitpaw #AIbaby pic.twitter.com/Dbuncw4moT

¡ª HitPaw (@HitPawofficial) May 21, 2025

And let us not forget that a lot of these baby-filtered videos are being reposted with barely any twist. While the Ghibli trend sparked art and storytelling, the baby filter leans hard into novelty, and novelty, dear internet, wears off fast.

podcast. Thats pretty easy, just use Chatgpt input an image of you, say make a baby. Then you got the picture. Put it in @hedra_labs and your good to go. Its really good. I did it with "anime" as well but when the character doesn't have a clear MOUTH its hard to sync... pic.twitter.com/1lwuHs6Z69

¡ª david wilson (@LoveAngelesBand) May 19, 2025

So yes, baby filters are having their moment. But a Ghibli-style cultural takeover? That might be a bit of a nappy dream.