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OpenAI makes its upgraded image generator available to developers

OpenAI has introduced its upgraded image generator, gpt-image-1, via API for developers, enabling integration into various applications. As an enhancement to ChatGPT released earlier, it has gained popularity, contributing to a surge in new users. The tool allows for diverse image generation with strict safety protocols and is currently being utilized by companies like Adobe and Figma.

Key points

  • OpenAI upgraded its image generation feature, gpt-image-1, and made it available for developers via API.
  • The new generator can create realistic Ghibli-style images and 'AI action figures'.
  • Following its launch, there was a significant increase in ChatGPT signups, leading to over 130 million users producing 700 million images in the first week.
  • gpt-image-1 operates with varying moderation settings and watermarks AI-generated images for identification.
  • Pricing for using the image generation API includes costs per million tokens for both input and output, translating to costs per generated image of around 2 cents to 19 cents based on quality.
  • Companies like Adobe, Airtable, Wix, and Figma are utilizing the gpt-image-1 tool for image generation in their products.

Why it matters

  • The rise of AI-generated content aligns with the 2025 IT trends focusing on enhanced creativity tools and multimodal capabilities.
  • The rapid user growth and strain on resources reflect broader industry challenges in scaling AI technologies.
  • Similar to the rise of generative AI, this trend mirrors past events in tech advancements leading to increased accessibility and integration.

OpenAI's rollout of gpt-image-1 is a significant step in making advanced AI image generation accessible to developers, shaping the future of creative tools and reflecting trends towards multimodal AI applications.