OpenAI Unveils Images 2.6: Converts Single Photos to GIFs, Boosts Image Generation Speed by 50%

Beating AI News Brief: OpenAI releases Images 2.6 image generation model, ChatGPT can now directly create GIFs. Input a text description or upload a photo to bring images to life. Users can also adjust animation speed, edit frame by frame, and even turn simple hand-drawn sketches into moving cartoon characters — operations that previously couldn’t be completed in one step on ChatGPT. Besides animating images, the new version solves a common pain point in image generation: repeated edits often distort characters, products, and even brand logos. Images 2.6 enhances consistency across multi-round edits, while boosting image generation speed by 50%. Developers can access two new models via API: Flare prioritizes speed, generating images in as fast as 6 seconds even at low quality; Sunburst focuses more on image quality and details, ideal for complex designs requiring repeated edits. Additionally, the API now supports marking areas for modification on images, exporting SVG vector graphics, and adjusting the model’s processing intensity for complex scenes. This update is now available to all ChatGPT and Codex users worldwide across all subscription tiers, with both models launched on API. OpenAI disclosed that global users now generate around 4 billion images weekly via ChatGPT, Codex, and API — a 1 billion increase from September this year, just two months prior.