GPT Image

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GPT Image
DeveloperOpenAI
Initial releaseMarch 25, 2025; 8 months ago (2025-03-25)
Stable release
1.5 / 16 December 2025; 1 day ago (2025-12-16)
PredecessorDALL-E
TypeText-to-image and image editing
WebsiteChatGPT Images
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GPT Image is a series of image generation and editing models developed by OpenAI. A text-to-image variant of the GPT family, it uses deep learning methodologies to generate digital images from natural language descriptions or images precisely. As the successor to DALL-E, GPT Image is native to ChatGPT and available through the API. Upon release in March 2025, GPT Image went viral on social media, particularly for its capability of generating images in the style of Studio Ghibli. GPT Image is also available with Microsoft Copilot and Apple Intelligence as well.

History

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The first model of GPT Image was revealed by OpenAI as the "GPT-4o image generation" in a blog post on March 25, 2025, developed based on the GPT-4o model to generate images.[1] It was initially made available to only paid users, with the rollout to free users delayed due to high demands.[2] The model was later named as GPT Image 1 (gpt-image-1) and introduced to the API on April 23. OpenAI later revealed that over 130 million users around the world created more than 700 million images with GPT Image 1 in just the first week⁠.[3] A cost-efficient version was released as GPT Image 1 Mini (gpt-image-1-mini) on October 6, also OpenAI DevDay 2025, with the cost in the API 80% less expensive than GPT Image 1.[4][5]

A new model named GPT Image 1.5 (gpt-image-1.5) was introduced on December 16, 2025, which was rolled out globally as the "ChatGPT Images" to all users and immediately made available via the API.[6] OpenAI claimed that the new model can make precise edits while keeping details intact, and generates images up to four times faster. Image inputs and outputs in the API are 20% cheaper in GPT Image 1.5 as compared to GPT Image 1.[7]

Capabilities

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Unlike the diffusion predecessors of DALL-2 and DALL-3 models, GPT Image models are autoregressive with several new capabilities including image-to-image transformation, advanced photorealism and detailed instruction following.[8] The GPT Image models can generate images in three sizes, namely 1024 × 1024 (1:1, square), 1536 × 1024 (3:2, landscape), and 1024 × 1536 (2:3, portrait) pixels.[9]

GPT Image 1.5 addresses premature cropping and the warm color bias from the previous model,[1] but it has regressed for generating in some specific art styles. Moreover, the weakness of multiple faces and some languages such as Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, etc. still remains with the latest model.[6]

Reception

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Technology commentators generally regarded GPT Image as significant advances in image generation. TechRadar highlighted that GPT Image 1 delivers impressive performance capable of producing a wide range of outputs from photorealistic scenes to stylized illustrations, noting notable improvements in text rendering and multimodal integration compared with earlier tools. However, Heise Online reported that GPT Image 1 exhibits technical weaknesses such as over-sharpening artifacts, a warm color bias, and common mistakes in rendering human poses and object overlaps, indicating limitations in output realism despite overall strong performance.[10]

Cultural impact

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An image generated by GPT Image 1 from the White House's official Twitter account, showing the arrest of a migrant by the Trump administration. The depiction in the style of Studio Ghibli has been criticized.

Upon the launch of GPT Image 1 in March 2025, photographs recreated in the style of Studio Ghibli films went viral.[11] Sam Altman acknowledged the trend by changing his Twitter profile picture into a Studio Ghibli-inspired one.[12][13] The White House's official Twitter account posted a Ghibli-style image mocking the arrest by immigration authorities of Virginia Basora-Gonzalez, a migrant previously deported after being convicted of fentanyl trafficking, which shows her crying as an immigration officer places her in handcuffs.[14][15][16] North American distributor GKids responded to the trend in a press release, comparing the use of the filter to its coinciding IMAX re-release of the 1997 Studio Ghibli film, Princess Mononoke.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Introducing 4o Image Generation". OpenAI. 25 March 2025. Archived from the original on 5 October 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  2. ^ Roth, Emma (March 26, 2025). "ChatGPT's new image generator is delayed for free users". The Verge. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
  3. ^ "Introducing our latest image generation model in the API". OpenAI. 23 April 2025. Retrieved 30 April 2025.
  4. ^ "OpenAI DevDay 2025". OpenAI. 6 October 2025. Archived from the original on 21 October 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  5. ^ Matthias Bastian (6 October 2025). "Developers can now build and deploy both apps and agents directly on the ChatGPT platform". The Decoder. Archived from the original on 7 October 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  6. ^ a b "The new ChatGPT Images is here". OpenAI. 16 December 2025. Archived from the original on 17 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Pricing". OpenAI Platform. OpenAI. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Addendum to GPT-4o System Card: Native image generation" (PDF). OpenAI. 25 March 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 August 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Image generation". OpenAI Platform. OpenAI. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  10. ^ Volker Zota (8 April 2025). "Image generator from GPT-4o: what is probably behind the technical breakthrough". Heise Online. Archived from the original on 17 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  11. ^ Spangler, Todd (March 26, 2025). "OpenAI CEO Responds to ChatGPT Users Creating Studio Ghibli-Style AI Images". Variety. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  12. ^ Choudhary, Govind (March 27, 2025). "OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reacts as AI turns him into a Studio Ghibli Character". Mint. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  13. ^ Notopoulos, Katie (March 27, 2025). "Sam Altman did a good tweet". Business Insider. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  14. ^ O'Brien, Matt; Parvini, Sarah (March 27, 2025). "ChatGPT's viral Studio Ghibli-style images highlight AI copyright concerns". AP News. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  15. ^ Bio, Demian (March 27, 2025). "White House Mocks Migrant With Criminal Record Who Cried After Being Arrested". Latin Times. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  16. ^ Vera, Kelby (March 27, 2025). "White House Posts Ghoulish AI Cartoon Showing Woman's Deportation". HuffPost. Retrieved March 28, 2025.
  17. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (March 28, 2025). "Studio Ghibli Distributor Champions 'Princess Mononoke' Box Office at 'A Time When Technology Tries to Replicate Humanity'". Variety. Retrieved March 29, 2025.
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