OpenAI is deploying a new capability within ChatGPT that allows users to generate animated GIFs directly in the interface. The feature is powered by Images 2.6, a new image-generation model that the company has not yet formally introduced through its standard product announcement channels.
Feature Functionality and Rollout
Users can create animations by describing a scene in plain English or by uploading an existing photograph and instructing the system to animate it. Once generated, the tool permits adjustments to playback speed, inspection of individual frames, editing, and sharing of the final file.
The rollout is currently gradual, meaning the feature is not yet available to all accounts. OpenAI has not provided a specific timeline for when universal access will be achieved.
Developer API Updates
Alongside the consumer-facing update, OpenAI is introducing two new API models for developers: GPT-Image-2.6 Flare and GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst. According to reports, the Flare variant is optimized for faster generation speeds, while Sunburst is designed to deliver higher-quality visual results. These models are being made available to ChatGPT and Codex users across web, desktop, and mobile platforms.
Recent Product Context
This update follows the September release of ChatGPT Images 2.5, which offered sharper details and generation speeds up to 50 percent faster than its predecessor. The move into animated GIFs comes months after OpenAI shut down Sora, its standalone AI video-generation application, in March.
