OpenAI delays deployment of built-in image generator in ChatGPT for free users

OpenAI has decided to delay the launch of its built-in image generator in ChatGPT for free users. CEO Sam Altman noted in a post that the image generator's popularity has been higher than expected, adding that "the rollout of the free tier will unfortunately be delayed."

On March 25, OpenAI added a new image generator to ChatGPT based on the GPT-4o reasoning model. Since the launch, users have been actively posting Studio Ghibli-style photos on social media. Even Sam Altman has joined in.

GPT-4o is significantly better at generating text by using an “autoregressive approach” to generate images, which involves generating the image from left to right and top to bottom. Instead, the classic diffuse method generates the entire image at once. Although the new technique takes longer to generate the images, OpenAI believes the difference in quality justifies the effort.

The new image generator is currently available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscription holders. It is not yet known when it will be available to free users.