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OpenAI ships Images 2.6 with GIF animation and faster edits

OpenAI has launched Images 2.6 in ChatGPT, Codex and the API, with roughly 50% faster generation, native GIF animation, and new API models Flare and Sunburst for speed versus quality.

6 November 2026Spectrum Web Co1 min read

OpenAI Images 2.6 announcement art showing faster image generation and GIF animation — Image: OpenAI

OpenAI has shipped Images 2.6 across ChatGPT, Codex and the API, promising roughly 50% faster generation plus native GIF animation for prompts and stills[1]. The company says people now create about 4 billion images per week across those surfaces, more than half a billion a day on average[1][2].

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GIFs as a first-class output

Creators can animate a brand mascot, turn a product shot into a loop, or start from a simple sketch and refine the result with follow-ups[1]. Inside ChatGPT, The Verge notes you can tweak playback speed, inspect frames, and share the clip without leaving the chat[2].

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Flare, Sunburst and API controls

Developers get two GPT-Image-2.6 flavours: Flare for speed (as little as about six seconds at low quality) and Sunburst for higher detail and consistency at medium or high quality[1]. Image markup now reaches the API so teams can mark exact edit regions, SVG exports ready designs for web and print, and a new complexity parameter trades planning depth for quicker turns[1].

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Availability

Images 2.6 is live globally today on every ChatGPT and Codex subscription tier across desktop, mobile and web, with Flare and Sunburst available through the API[1].

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Why it matters

Image chat already ships polish and brand consistency; folding looping motion and faster edit rounds into the same loop makes ChatGPT a tighter path from sketch to social-ready asset, while Flare and Sunburst give API teams an explicit speed-versus-fidelity dial[1][2].

Sources

Sources for this story.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

What is Images 2.6?

OpenAI's latest image generation and editing stack in ChatGPT, Codex and the API. It ships roughly 50% faster generation, native GIF creation, and stronger control over edits.

Can ChatGPT make GIFs now?

Yes. You can animate from a prompt or turn a still into a looping GIF, adjust playback speed, and refine ChatGPT-generated GIFs with follow-up edits.

What are Flare and Sunburst?

API variants of GPT-Image-2.6. Flare is the fast path and can finish in as little as about six seconds at low quality. Sunburst targets higher quality and consistency at medium or high quality settings.

What else landed in the API?

Image markup (already in ChatGPT) now reaches the API, alongside SVG exports and a new complexity parameter that guides how much planning the model puts into a request.

Who can use Images 2.6?

OpenAI says it is available globally today across all ChatGPT and Codex subscription tiers on desktop, mobile and web, with Flare and Sunburst in the API.

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