GPT-Image-2.5 quietly rolls out in ChatGPT with modest gains, users report
On September 9, several users discovered that ChatGPT's image generation model had quietly been updated to GPT-Image-2.5, with no prominent official announcement from OpenAI — the version info was spotted in-product by users and spread from there.
Confirmed
- GPT-Image-2.5 is live on ChatGPT, bringing multiple improvements (confirmed by hands-on testing from markk, xiaohu, and others).
- markk ran the classic "grainy artifacts" test (prompting a photo of a plant-filled, highly detailed forest clearing) and found mixed results; his verdict: the graininess isn't worse, but there's no clear improvement either — the new version is essentially standing still on texture artifacts.
- Aizkmusic tested with a character-selection scene and found 2.5 is an improvement but only a slight one — a half-step upgrade; outputs still clearly bear AI-image telltale signs, adding "this is its worst moment," and it can only get better from here.
- DeryaTR shared artwork generated with the new model by other users, usable as reference samples for judging image quality.
Unconfirmed
- ElonBaldMusk, after re-testing, complained that GPT-Image-2.5's patterned grain is "worse than before," disagreeing with markk; there's no settled verdict yet on whether the new version's artifacts are better or worse.
Why It Matters
- Image generation is a core ChatGPT capability, and this intermediate "2.5" update shows OpenAI is iterating incrementally rather than making a major version leap. The community's assessment of progress on stubborn issues like texture artifacts remains cautious, making the official release notes and further comparison tests worth watching.
2026-09-09 ~ 2026-09-09 · 6 related posts
- Episode 1: Leak: OpenAI's GPT-Image-2.5 Rolling Out with 50% Lower Latency(2026-09-07, 3 posts)
- Episode 2: OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Images 2.5 with Faster, Smarter Editing(2026-09-09, 35 posts)
- Episode 3: OpenAI's GPT-Image-2.5 Sweeps All Three LMArena Image Boards(2026-09-09, 4 posts)
- Episode 4: GPT-Image-2.5 quietly rolls out in ChatGPT with modest gains, users report(2026-09-09, 6 posts)
- Episode 5: OpenAI Releases GPT-Image-2.5 Flare and Sunburst Image Models(2026-09-09, 2 posts)
- Episode 6: ChatGPT Images 2.5 enables precise local editing of infographics(2026-09-09, 2 posts)
Primary sources
- [source] GPT-Image-2.5 appears in ChatGPT; classic noise artifact test shows mixed results — mark_k · 2026-09-09
- First samples shared from ChatGPT Images 2.5, OpenAI's newly released image model — DeryaTR_ · 2026-09-09
- [source] mark_k on GPT-Image-2.5 noise artifacts: not worse, but not much better either — mark_k · 2026-09-09
- ChatGPT Images 2.5 Rolls Out, Users Report Impressive Results — xiaohu · 2026-09-09
- [source] Testing ChatGPT's Image Gen 2.5: a subtle half-step upgrade — Aizkmusic · 2026-09-09
1 near-duplicate retellings: ElonBaldMusk