ChatGPT can now turn a prompt, a photo or even a pen sketch into a short animated GIF, and OpenAI says its new Images 2.6 model generates pictures 50% faster than before. OpenAI's announcement says the update is live worldwide in ChatGPT and Codex on every subscription tier, on web, desktop and mobile. Developers also get two new API models at the same price as the previous version.
When Images 2.6 launched
OpenAI's announcement page is dated November 4, 2026. ChatGPT's own post about the update, embedded in Digit's report, is dated November 5, 2026. The difference is the time zone: TestingCatalog published its launch story at 00:44 UTC on November 5, which was still November 4 in the US. The two dates appear to reflect the time-zone gap between the US and Asia.
GIFs from a prompt, a photo or a sketch
The main new feature is animation. OpenAI says you can animate a brand mascot or character, turn a product shot into a looping clip, or make reactions and memes for social media. Its examples include an animated owl made from a hand-drawn sketch on lined paper. OpenArt made a pair of looping chibi office-worker animations for the launch.
OpenAI also pitches GIFs as a planning tool. Creators can use animated storyboards to test how a character moves before they spend money on full video production.
Two more changes target repeat editing:
- Consistency across edits. OpenAI says characters, products and brand details stay more consistent as you make several rounds of changes.
- Saved reference images. OpenAI posted that users can save reference images of themselves, their pets or their characters and reuse them without uploading them again, as TestingCatalog reported.
How much faster is Images 2.6?
OpenAI's headline figure is 50% faster image generation. In the API, the faster of the two new models, Flare, can produce an image in as little as six seconds when quality is set to low. By our math, that is about 10 low-quality images a minute, one after another. This is a calculation from OpenAI's best-case figure, not a test. Higher quality settings will take longer.
OpenAI also says people now create 4 billion images a week across ChatGPT, Codex and the API. Divided by seven days, that is roughly 571 million images a day. That matches OpenAI's own "more than half a billion" daily figure.
Flare vs Sunburst: the new API models
Developers choose between two models:
| Model | What OpenAI says it is for |
|---|---|
| GPT-Image-2.6 Flare | Speed (as fast as six seconds at low quality) and better layouts for posters, product images and other professional visuals |
| GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst | More detail and more consistent edits at medium or high quality |
The API also gets three new tools:
- Image markup. You mark the exact area of an image you want changed. This was already in ChatGPT and now comes to the API.
- SVG export. SVG is a vector format, so the image stays sharp at any size on websites, in apps and in print.
- A complexity setting. This controls how much planning the model does before it draws. OpenAI recommends low complexity for most quick edits. Medium or high is for scenes with many elements or rules.
API pricing stays the same
OpenAI's API pricing page lists both new models at the same rates as their 2.5 versions. Prices are per 1 million tokens (tokens are the small units of text or image data that AI models process). Peso figures use about ₱63 to $1:
| Rate (per 1M tokens) | Flare and Sunburst 2.6 |
|---|---|
| Image input | $8 (around ₱500) |
| Image output | $30 (around ₱1,890) |
| Cached image input | $2 (around ₱130) |
| Text input | $5 (around ₱320) |
| Cached text input | $1.25 (around ₱80) |
The pricing page points to a calculator in OpenAI's image generation guide for per-image estimates. The number of tokens per image depends on size and quality. Companies featured in the announcement as early users include Figma Weave, Picsart, fal, Higgsfield, Sable and Town.
What we know for users in the Philippines
OpenAI calls the ChatGPT rollout global and says it covers all subscription tiers, so users here should see Images 2.6 without a separate local launch. OpenAI has not announced anything specific to the Philippines, and API prices are only listed in US dollars. If you plan to animate photos of real people, read up first on the National Privacy Commission's warning about AI images of real people. If you mainly use the free tier, see also how ads now appear for free ChatGPT users here.
OpenAI says the safety tests and safeguards for Images 2.6 are described in its system card.
