OpenAI’s AI-native image generation feature, recently rolled out globally, has not only sparked a frenzy in the tech community but also made many creators and curious users eager to try it. In particular, a series of soothing illustrations in a “Ghibli style” has been shared wildly across social media, with some even using them as wallpapers or profile pictures for their accounts. Although the company hasn’t heavily promoted it, the feature has now quietly been made available to free ChatGPT users, allowing up to three images per day so more people can experience the joy of AI-generated art firsthand.
ChatGPT free users can now generate images too! Have you jumped on the trend yet?
OpenAI officially launched the brand-new ChatGPT 4o image generation feature on March 26, 2024. Initially, it was only available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers, primarily to showcase AI’s powerful ability to convert between language and vision. This feature is built into ChatGPT, allowing users to simply enter commands and have the AI generate illustrations, landscapes, and even fictional characters in the desired style.
Over the past week, you’ve likely seen it across major social platforms—people have been getting creative and using their treasured images to generate all kinds of styles. However, the feature was so popular after launch that OpenAI confirmed a delay in rolling it out to free users. Just now, OpenAI quietly made the image generation feature available to all free users, with a cap of 3 uses per day. In other words, even non-paying users can now experience the magic of “AI art” firsthand—though with limited attempts, so be sure to make those three daily uses count.
Because this feature is so popular, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had to speak out. He recently posted on X (formerly Twitter): “It’s great to see everyone loving ChatGPT’s image feature, but our GPUs are melting.” He also admitted that to avoid overloading the system, they have temporarily imposed rate limits on the image generation feature, and promised to improve system efficiency as soon as possible so more people can use it smoothly.
Notably, the image feature now available in the free version, though capped at three uses per day, is enough for regular users to enjoy the fun of AI art. For those who like illustration styles, need creative inspiration, or simply want to give it a try, this is undoubtedly a great boon.
ChatGPT’s image generation feature is not just another milestone in AI technology development, but also a significant indicator that the field of artistic creation has entered a new era. Although it has sparked some controversy, there is no denying that it truly provides a more accessible creative tool, allowing everyone to become a painter.
In the future, will OpenAI further increase usage limits for free users? Will it establish clearer guidelines on style imitation? Or will it introduce more granular copyright filtering mechanisms? These are all developments worth keeping an eye on.
Currently, whether it’s ChatGPT Plus or the free version, there are still time limits on image generation under frequent prompts. In fact, aside from the popular Ghibli animation style, there are many other styles that can produce great image generation results.
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Source: KOCPC Chinese