Google threw down the AI image gauntlet last month. Now, OpenAI has answered.
The ChatGPT creator announced the rollout of a new flagship image generator on Tuesday, which the company says is capable of making faster, more precise edits to an AI image while maintaining details.
Introducing ChatGPT Images, powered by our flagship new image generation model.
– Stronger instruction following
– Precise editing
– Detail preservation
– 4x faster than before
Rolling out today in ChatGPT for all users, and in the API as GPT Image 1.5. pic.twitter.com/NLNIPEYJnr— OpenAI (@OpenAI) December 16, 2025
But the more eye-catching change for many user will likely be the improvements to image quality and the AI model’s ability to follow specific instructions.
OpneAI said the new model offers “clear improvements across a range of cases.” In one example, the company showed off the differences between the old and new image model when prompted to generate a photorealistic scene in 1970s Chelsea, London.
In another example touting use cases for businesses using the company’s image API, OpenAI compared the outputs showing a mechanic working on a car.
The company is also rolling out a new Images feature within the ChatGPT app. While AI image generation was previously available within ChatGPT, OpenAI says the new dedicated Images feature is designed to “spark inspiration and make creative exploration effortless.”
The news comes just over three weeks after Google released its Nano Banana Pro AI image model alongside its flagship Gemini 3 LLM — both of which have received widespread praise and reignited the debate around whether Google had begun to overtake OpenAI in the AI race.
Google’s new AI image generator was lauded for its hyper-realistic AI images, which some people used over Thanksgiving to make it appear as if they had famous guests at the holiday dinner table.
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