Following the release of GPT-5.2 last week, OpenAI has begun to launch a new image generation model. The company says the updated ChatGPT images are four times faster than its predecessor. If you are a frequent ChatGPT user, you will know that OpenAI’s servers can sometimes take a while to generate images, especially during peak times and if you are not paying for ChatGPT Plus. In that regard, any improvement in speed is welcome.
The new version is also better at following instructions, including when you want to edit something in the new model that was recently generated. You can tell the system to add, subtract, combine, mix, and even move elements. At the same time, OpenAI says that the update provides better text rendering. This is something that many image models have traditionally struggled with, but according to the company, the new ChatGPT is able to handle image density and small text. As part of today’s model update, OpenAI is additionally adding a dedicated images section to the ChatGPT sidebar. Here you’ll find preset filters and prompts that you can look at for inspiration.
The new ChatGPT images come just as the Nano is responsible for a surge in the use of the Nano Pro Gemini. In October, Google said its chatbot had 650 million users, up from 450 million a few months earlier in July. Nano Banana Pro has proven so popular that the company recently limited free users to just two image generations per day. For OpenAI, a strong response to the Nano Banana Pro was probably not as important as ensuring it could swing against the Gemini 3 Pro, but ChatGPT images are a big part of the 800 million ChatGPT users.
OpenAI said, “We believe we are still at the beginning of what image generation can enable.” “Today’s update is a meaningful step forward, with much more to come, from better editing to richer, more detailed output across languages.”
OpenAI is rolling out new ChatGPT images to all users starting today. If you are among those who miss GPT-4o, you will be happy to know that you can continue using the older version of the tool through a custom GPT.
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