OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Images 2.6, an image-generation update that turns a text prompt or an uploaded photo into an animated GIF. The release also brings two new developer models to the API, GPT-Image-2.6 Flare and GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst, which OpenAI says deliver up to 50% faster image generation.
The update is rolling out to all ChatGPT and Codex users on web, desktop and mobile apps. OpenAI announced the release in a post on its developer community forum late on November 4, under the headline "Images, upgraded."
GIF creation is the headline consumer feature. Users can start from a prompt or an image, adjust the animation's speed, edit individual frames, and share the result on repeat. In a test published by The Decoder, the prompt "Can you make a gif of a cat dancing?" returned flipbook-style variations, with the model keeping the character recognizable from frame to frame.
Key facts
- 01OpenAI released ChatGPT Images 2.6 on November 4, adding animated GIF creation from text prompts or photos.
- 02Two new API models, GPT-Image-2.6 Flare and GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst, bring up to 50% faster image generation.
- 03Flare can generate an image in as little as six seconds; Sunburst targets higher quality and consistency across edits.
- 04The update is rolling out to all ChatGPT and Codex users on web, desktop and mobile.
- 05OpenAI says users now generate more than four billion images per week, one billion more than in September.
ChatGPT Images 2.6 also adds saved reference images. Users can keep reference images of themselves, their pets and recurring characters ready to reuse in new creations, without uploading them again for each request.
OpenAI added image markup and SVG export as well, which the company describes as more ways to refine images and use what users create.
For developers, the two API models split along a speed-versus-quality line. OpenAI says Flare generates images in as little as six seconds, while Sunburst brings higher-quality generation and greater consistency across edits. According to The Decoder, both variants were first introduced with Images 2.5.
OpenAI's announcement links to separate model cards for Flare and Sunburst and to its API pricing page. The forum post itself does not list per-image prices.
The release lands on top of fast-growing usage. OpenAI says users now generate well over four billion images per week through ChatGPT and the API, one billion more than in September.
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