OpenAI has just released ChatGPT Images 2. 6 across all subscription levels, including Free. It’s only a 0. 1 upgrade to the previous Images 2. 5 , so it should come as no surprise that not that much has changed. In fact, there are only two new features, but they’re both worth your attention. Firstly, you can now use ChatGPT to make animated GIF images, and second, you can now upload a persistent reference image, so you don’t need to keep uploading it when requesting a lot of different edits. The first change is perhaps the most immediately interesting, but the second one could become more useful in the long run. More cat GIFs, please
The Internet can never have enough cat GIFs, so naturally I decided to try the new feature on a photo of my cat, Chester. While Halloween has just been and gone, I thought I’d use that as inspiration for the sort of image I wanted to make of my cat. I used a fairly simple prompt: “Can you make a Halloween GIF of my cat to share with family?” ChatGPT obliged without any objection, and transformed my cat into a feline wearing a Halloween-themed hat and cape and blinking slowly as a pumpkin flickered in the background. It’s especially fun for my family because there’s no way he’d ever let a human dress him up like this. Once you’ve created your GIF it gives you a shareable link, so you don’t need to host it anywhere if you want to link people to it. Alternatively, you can download it or share it straight to X, LinkedIn and Reddit. (Image credit: OpenAI / Graham Barlow) What ChatGPT produced was ok, but it was hardly going to set the Internet on fire, so I followed up with “That’s cool, but it’s not very active, can you make it more active please? Get creative.” “Now we’re talking!” , replied ChatGPT. “Your cat’s gone full witch mode — casting a spell with a raised paw, conjuring a floating, glowing pumpkin, then giving a triumphant little meow before licking their lips…