This week, OpenAI launched a new image generator in ChatGPT, which quickly went viral for its ability to create Studio Ghibli-style images. Beyond the pastel illustrations, GPT-4os native image generator significantly upgrades ChatGPTs capabilities, improving picture editing, text rendering, and spatial representation.However, one of the most notable changes OpenAI made this week involves its content moderation policies, which now allow ChatGPT to, upon request, generate images depicting public figures, hateful symbols, and racial features.OpenAI previously rejected these types of prompts for being too controversial or harmful. But now, the company has evolved its approach, according to a blog post published Thursday by OpenAIs model behavior lead, Joanne Jang.Were shifting from blanket refusals in sensitive areas to a more precise approach focused on preventing real-world harm, said Jang. The goal is to embrace humility: recognizing how much we dont know, and positioning ourselves to adapt as we learn.These adjustments seem to be part of OpenAIs larger plan to effectively uncensor ChatGPT. OpenAI announced in February that its starting to change how it trains AI models, with the ultimate goal of letting ChatGPT handle more requests, offer diverse perspectives, and reduce topics the chatbot refuses to work with.Under the updated policy, ChatGPT can now generate and modify images of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and other public figures that OpenAI did not used to allow. Jang says OpenAI doesnt want to be the arbiter of status, choosing who should and shouldnt be allowed to be generated by ChatGPT. Instead, the company is giving users an opt-out option if they dont want ChatGPT depicting them.In a white paper released Tuesday, OpenAI also said it will allow ChatGPT users to generate hateful symbols, such as swastikas, in educational or neutral contexts, as long as they dont clearly praise or endorse extremist agendas.Moreover, OpenAI is changing how it defines offensive content. Jang says ChatGPT used to refuse requests around physical characteristics, such as make this persons eyes look more Asian or make this person heavier. In TechCrunchs testing, we found ChatGPTs new image generator fulfills these types of requests.Additionally, ChatGPT can now mimic the styles of creative studios such as Pixar or Studio Ghibli but still restricts imitating individual living artists styles. As TechCrunch previously noted, this could rehash an existing debate around the fair use of copyrighted works in AI training datasets.Its worth noting that OpenAI is not completely opening the floodgates to misuse. GPT-4os native image generator still refuses a lot of sensitive queries, and in fact, it has more safeguards around generating images of children than DALL-E 3, ChatGPTs previous AI image generator, according to GPT-4os white paper.But OpenAI is relaxing its guardrails in other areas after years of conservative complaints around alleged AI censorship from Silicon Valley companies. Google previously faced backlash for Geminis AI image generator, which createdmultiracial images for queriessuch as U.S. founding fathers and German soldiers in WWII, which were obviously inaccurate. Now, the culture war around AI content moderation may be coming to a head. Earlier this month, Republican Congressman Jim Jordan sent questions to OpenAI, Google, and other tech giants about potential collusion with the Biden administration to censor AI-generated content.In a previous statement to TechCrunch, OpenAI rejected the idea that its content moderation changes were politically motivated. Rather, the company says the shift reflects a long-held belief in giving users more control, and OpenAIs technology is just now getting good enough to navigate sensitive subjects.Regardless of its motivation, its certainly a good time for OpenAI to be changing its content moderation policies, given the potential for regulatory scrutiny under the Trump administration. Silicon Valley giants like Meta and X have also adopted similar policies, allowing more controversial topics on their platforms. While OpenAIs new image generator has just created some viral Studio Ghibli memes so far, its unclear what the broader effects of these policies will be. ChatGPTs recent changes may go over well with the Trump administration, but letting an AI chatbot answer sensitive questions could land OpenAI in hot water soon enough.OpenAIs viral Studio Ghibli moment highlights AI copyright concernsChatGPTs image-generation feature gets an upgrade