OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced in a post on X that its powerful image generation tool, powered by its GPT-4o model, is now accessible to all users. Previously, this feature was only available to paying ChatGPT subscribers.
chatgpt image gen now rolled out to all free users!
— Sam Altman (@sama) April 1, 2025
It remains unclear how many images free-tier users can create each day. However, Altman mentioned that the limit might be around three daily images.
it’s super fun seeing people love images in chatgpt.
— Sam Altman (@sama) March 27, 2025
but our GPUs are melting.
we are going to temporarily introduce some rate limits while we work on making it more efficient. hopefully won’t be long!
chatgpt free tier will get 3 generations per day soon.
High demand and copyright concerns
Since its launch, OpenAI’s image generation tool has been in high demand. Altman even described the overwhelming response, saying the company’s GPUs were “melting” due to the number of requests.
One of the tool’s most popular uses has been generating images in the style of Studio Ghibli, the famous Japanese animation studio. This has sparked discussions about copyright issues and the type of training data OpenAI used to develop the feature. Critics have pointed out the striking similarities between AI-generated images and Studio Ghibli’s original works, raising concerns about potential intellectual property violations.
In addition, some users have exploited the tool to create fake receipts, such as restaurant bills. OpenAI has addressed this issue, with a spokesperson that all AI-generated images include metadata indicating ChatGPT created them. The company also stated that it actively takes action if images violate its guidelines.
OpenAI secures US$40 billion in funding and sees rapid growth
Alongside expanding its image generation tool, OpenAI has secured a massive US$40 billion funding round led by SoftBank. The latest valuation places the company at an impressive US$300 billion, solidifying its position as a leader in AI development.
OpenAI also reported a surge in user numbers, with ChatGPT now boasting 500 million weekly active users and 700 million monthly active users. This rapid growth highlights the increasing demand for AI-powered tools and OpenAI’s strong presence in the market.
