SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 5 -- A picture made in ChatGPT no longer has to stay still. OpenAI has launched Images 2.6 with GIF generation, letting users turn a written request or an existing image into a looping animation and then adjust its speed or individual frames.

The November 4 launch also adds reusable reference images and brings two new image models to developers. OpenAI says Images 2.6 is available globally in ChatGPT and Codex across subscription tiers on the web, desktop and mobile, with GPT-Image-2.6 Flare and Sunburst available through its API.

The practical shift is not just another way to make a meme. OpenAI is trying to shorten the distance between a visual idea, a revision and a reusable asset. But its headline speed claims de...