A comprehensive new study has revealed that renowned architect Zaha Hadid and filmmaker Wes Anderson are among the most frequently referenced creative figures when users generate AI images and videos on Midjourney. The research, conducted by web-based video editing platform Kapwing, analyzed how users incorporate famous names and artistic styles into their AI-generated content, providing unprecedented insight into the intersection of artificial intelligence and creative inspiration.

The study's findings demonstrate Zaha Hadid's dominant influence in architectural AI prompts, with her name appearing in an impressive 63,103 mentions on the platform. This figure significantly outpaces other legendary architects, with Frank Lloyd Wright securing second place at 13,361 mentions. The research identified several other prominent architects frequently referenced in AI image generation, including Tadao Ando, Frank Gehry, Peter Zumthor, Kengo Kuma, Bjarke Ingels, Le Corbusier, Richard Meier, and Jean Nouvel.

In the film director category, Wes Anderson emerged as the clear frontrunner with 92,378 prompt mentions, a remarkable figure that exceeds the combined total of several other acclaimed directors. Tim Burton followed with 57,000 mentions, while Christopher Nolan garnered 22,246, Ridley Scott received 20,109, Guillermo del Toro had 19,755, and Stanley Kubrick accumulated 16,758 mentions. This data highlights Anderson's distinctive visual style and its appeal to AI users seeking to replicate his aesthetic approach.

The illustration category revealed interesting patterns, with fantasy artist WLOP leading with 166,415 mentions, followed closely by Greg Rutkowski with 134,695 mentions. Notably, Rutkowski is currently involved in legal proceedings against AI companies for using his name and artistic style without proper authorization, highlighting the growing concerns about intellectual property rights in the AI-generated art space.

Among visual artists, Art Nouveau poster designer Alphonse Mucha emerged as the most referenced, appearing in 230,794 Midjourney prompts. The study also found that anime represents one of the most popular visual subjects in AI prompts, with "Akira" leading at 53,333 mentions and "Naruto" following with 40,494 references. Additionally, Studio Ghibli productions, including "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Spirited Away," appeared frequently in user prompts.

The research methodology involved analyzing data from the Midjourney Discord server to track keyword frequency across various creative categories. The study team compiled a comprehensive list of 897 keywords spanning eight distinct groups: artists, illustrators, film directors, architects, cities, media franchises, fast-food chains, and anime. Researchers utilized Midlibrary, a public online database, to collect examples of popular names from each category before analyzing their frequency in AI prompts.

The scope of the research was substantial, encompassing a total of 4,929,594 prompts that demonstrated how frequently users reference real architects, directors, and artists when creating AI-generated content. In the media franchise category, "Star Wars" dominated with 160,495 mentions, illustrating the enduring influence of popular culture on AI-generated imagery. These findings provide valuable insight into current trends in AI-assisted creative work and the ongoing dialogue between human creativity and artificial intelligence technology.