When was GPT-Image-2.6 released?

On 4 November 2026, together with ChatGPT Images 2.6 in ChatGPT and Codex.

Which GPT-Image-2.6 model should developers use?

OpenAI positions Flare for fast, high-volume generation and Sunburst for higher quality and consistent results across repeated edits.

GPT-Image-2.6 news

Image generation model1 story

GPT-Image-2.6 is OpenAI's image generation and editing model family, released on 4 November 2026 with ChatGPT Images 2.6.

Abstract illustration of layers of a neural network — OpenAI launches ChatGPT Images 2.6 with animated GIFs and two faster API image models

AI Models5 Nov 2026, 07:22 UTC

OpenAI released ChatGPT Images 2.6 on 4 November 2026 with GIF creation and reusable reference images, plus GPT-Image-2.6 Flare and Sunburst in the API.

Summary

OpenAI released ChatGPT Images 2.6 on 4 November 2026 for every ChatGPT and Codex tier on web, desktop and mobile. Users can turn a prompt or photo into an animated GIF, change its speed and edit single frames, and keep reference images of themselves, pets or characters for reuse. Developers get two API models, GPT-Image-2.6 Flare for speed and GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst for quality, which OpenAI says generate images 50 percent faster.

About GPT-Image-2.6

GPT-Image-2.6 is OpenAI's image generation and editing model family, released on 4 November 2026 with ChatGPT Images 2.6. It comes in two API versions: Flare, built for speed, and Sunburst, built for quality and consistency across edits. In ChatGPT it adds animated GIFs and reusable reference images.

Reviewed 5 Nov 2026 · by OpenAI

Facts at a glance

Developer: OpenAI
Released: 4 November 2026 source
API model IDs: gpt-image-2.6-flare, gpt-image-2.6-sunburst source
Sunburst API price: $8 input, $2 cached input, $30 output per 1M tokens source
Flare API price: $30 per 1M image output tokens; other rates on OpenAI's pricing page source
Speed claim: 50 percent faster image generation (OpenAI); Flare in as little as 6 seconds source
ChatGPT features: Animated GIFs with speed control and frame editing; saved reference images source
Open weights: No

Questions people ask

When was GPT-Image-2.6 released?: On 4 November 2026, together with ChatGPT Images 2.6 in ChatGPT and Codex.
Which GPT-Image-2.6 model should developers use?: OpenAI positions Flare for fast, high-volume generation and Sunburst for higher quality and consistent results across repeated edits.

GPT-Image-2.6 news

Every story about GPT-Image-2.6

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Images 2.6 with animated GIFs and two faster API image models