ChatGPT Images Gets Major Upgrade As OpenAI Targets Google’s Nano Banana Pro: How To Use

OpenAI has rolled out a major update for ChatGPT Images, offering faster generation speeds, and better editing tools to rival Google’s Nano Banana Pro.

Published By: Shubham Arora | Published: Dec 17, 2025, 01:22 PM (IST)

OpenAI has pushed a new update for its image-generation system inside ChatGPT, giving it better speed, improved editing controls, and a cleaner interface. The new "ChatGPT Images" experience is now rolling out to users, and OpenAI claims it works about four times faster than the earlier model. The update arrives just days after the release of ChatGPT 5.2, suggesting that the upgraded image tool is built on top of the newer version. Also Read: ChatGPT Images 2.0 sees massive growth in India: Here’s why users are loving it

ChatGPT Images: What's New

The first thing users will notice is a separate Images section in the sidebar, making it easier to explore styles, filters, and previously created images. OpenAI has also worked on improving how the tool understands prompts, so the final output matches what users describe more accurately. Also Read: Elon Musk reveals xAI relied on OpenAI models “partly” to train Grok

The new version supports a bunch of editing features that weren't as smooth earlier. You can combine multiple images, add new elements to an existing picture, or blend different ideas together. There are preset prompts as well, which can be tweaked to create something more customised. Also Read: OpenAI case heats up: Elon Musk and Sam Altman face off in high-stakes trial

These improvements appear to be OpenAI's attempt to respond to Google's growing traction with Nano Banana Pro, which has been getting attention for its quick generation speed and wide range of creative options.

How To Access ChatGPT Images

ChatGPT Images is rolling out on both the web and mobile apps. To try it out:

  • Open ChatGPT
  • Click the + icon and select Create image
  • Choose a preset style or type in your own prompt

    • The Images tab on the left also shows different categories and your image creation history. Even though the interface doesn't explicitly mention "ChatGPT Images", the updated system seems to be powering image generation for all users including free accounts.

    Google recently revealed that over 500 billion images have been created using Nano Banana and its Pro version. With this update, OpenAI is clearly trying to match that momentum with faster output and a more flexible editing setup.

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