OpenAI has added GIF creation to ChatGPT with Images 2.6, an update that also brings saved reference images and two faster image models for developers. The company says Images 2.6 is available in ChatGPT and Codex across all tiers on web, desktop, and mobile. As reported by PCMag Middle East, the rollout began on Wednesday 4 November, and the official announcement is dated the same day.
How GIF creation works
You describe the animation the same way you’d prompt for a still image, and ChatGPT builds a short looping clip. Trending Topics reports that a text prompt, a photo or a rough sketch can serve as the starting point, so you can pair a sketch of a mascot with a written prompt if you already have a character in mind. Once the GIF exists, OpenAI says you can adjust the speed, edit individual frames, and share it on repeat.
OpenAI pitches the feature at marketers and creators first. It lists animating a brand mascot for a campaign, making reactions and memes for social media, and building animated storyboards to explore character movement before generating a full video. The company’s launch thread on X leads with the GIF feature and also covers reference images and the new API models.
The second user-facing addition is a reference library. OpenAI says you can keep reference images of yourself, pets and characters ready to reuse in new creations, with no need to upload them again. PCMag adds that you can name a saved character in a prompt instead of attaching the image each time. For anyone who produces the same mascot or pet across many images, that saves more effort than the GIF feature does.
Flare and Sunburst for developers
On the API side, OpenAI is shipping two models: GPT-Image-2.6 Flare and Sunburst. Flare generates images in as little as six seconds, while Sunburst targets higher-quality output and greater consistency across edits. OpenAI says the two models deliver 50% faster image generation. The release also adds image markup, which lets users mark the exact spots they want changed, and SVG export for websites, apps and print.
Not every developer is happy with the pricing. Trending Topics reports that early users on OpenAI’s developer forum complain that low- and medium-quality images cost significantly more through the API than with the previous model. OpenAI hasn’t commented on that in the material we’ve seen.
Where this fits
The release follows ChatGPT Images 2.5, which focused on faster generation and more precise editing. Images 2.6 builds on that with motion, and it reaches Codex users as well, the tool that already generates images. According to OpenAI, users now generate more than 4 billion images a week across ChatGPT and its API, up from 3 billion in September.
Trending Topics frames the GIF feature as OpenAI’s route back to moving images after it shut down its Sora video app in March. It also notes that GIFs put ChatGPT in the path of reaction libraries such as Giphy and Google’s Tenor, because ChatGPT makes the clip on demand instead of searching a catalogue. That reading is the outlet’s analysis. OpenAI hasn’t described it that way.
Availability in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt
OpenAI says Images 2.6 is available globally in ChatGPT and Codex across all subscription tiers on desktop, mobile, and web. That covers readers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and there’s no separate GIF add-on to buy. BestMediaInfo reports that GIF creation is rolling out gradually, so it may take a little while to appear in your app. PCMag says OpenAI’s published API pricing is in US dollars, so developers in the region pay in local currency at whatever rate their card provider applies. We haven’t seen verified AED, SAR or EGP prices for ChatGPT plans.
Do I need a paid ChatGPT plan to make GIFs?
OpenAI says Images 2.6 is available across all subscription tiers, with no separate GIF add-on. The announcement material we’ve seen doesn’t spell out limits per plan, so check the pricing screen in the app for what your tier includes.
Can I edit a GIF after ChatGPT makes it?
Yes. OpenAI says you can change the playback speed and edit individual frames before sharing the finished loop.
Why can’t I see GIF creation in my app yet?
BestMediaInfo reports that OpenAI is rolling the feature out gradually. Update the ChatGPT app and check again over the next few days.
