OpenAI released ChatGPT Images 2.5 on September 8. The model features reduced image-generation latency by up to 50% compared to its predecessor, Images 2.0. Two new models, GPT-Image-2.5 Flare and GPT-Image-2.5 Sunburst, have been added to the API, offering different balances of speed and precision.
The update introduces new workflow features including a sketch tool for layout references, prompt sharing, inline comments on specific image regions, and format templates. API quality tiers have been expanded to include new high and max levels, surpassing the capabilities of the previous version.
In a comparative test against Google’s Nano Banana 2, also known as Gemini 3.1 Flash Image, both models won three out of six categories. ChatGPT Images 2.5 demonstrated improved color balance and detail, successfully addressing oversharpening artifacts that affected previous iterations.
Despite visual improvements, the model showed specific inaccuracies in text rendering and factual data. In a Bitcoin history infographic test, ChatGPT Images 2.5 incorrectly labeled 2023 as the year Bitcoin ETFs were approved in the U.S., whereas the SEC approved spot Bitcoin ETFs on January 10, 2024.
