ChatGPT’s new image generator is now available for free users

OpenAI has rolled out ChatGPT’s new built-in image generator for freemium users.

In a post on X early Tuesday (EAT time), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the feature dubbed ‘Images in ChatGPT’ is now available for all users of the popular artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot after its rollout for free users was briefly pushed back.

The new image-generation tool was introduced last week and uses OpenAI’s GPT-4o model. It is now available across the Ksh.2,600-a-month Plus; Ksh.26,000 monthly Pro; Team (Ksh.3,200-Ksh.3,900 per user); and Free subscription tiers.

Until now, ChatGPT’s free users could only generate three images per day with OpenAI’s text-to-image generation model Dall-E 3.

The Microsoft-backed AI research company says the GPT-4o model has improved image creation and text rendering compared to Dall-E 3, although it takes longer to generate images than before.

OpenAI says ‘Images in ChatGPT’ uses an “autoregressive approach,” generating images from left to right and top to bottom like how text is written, as opposed to the “diffusion model” technique used by most image generators, including DALL-E.

Additionally, one can refine images through natural conversation.

“GPT‑4o can build upon images and text in chat context, ensuring consistency throughout. For example, if you’re designing a video game character, the character’s appearance remains coherent across multiple iterations as you refine and experiment,” OpenAI said in a blog post.