OpenAI's ChatGPT Images 2.5 update, introduced in September 2026, focuses on sharper images, more accurate editing, and faster generation. The headline feature is Sketch: users can draw an idea directly inside ChatGPT, then describe in words what the finished image should look like.

Templates are another addition, aimed at popular formats like flyers and product images — pick a template and customize it with your own content and pictures. Editing also gets more precise: you can now change a specific part of an image while leaving the rest intact, with better detail retention across multiple edit rounds.

Images built from reference photos now keep the recognizable characteristics of people and objects more reliably when placed into new environments or styles. OpenAI says generation latency is up to 50% lower than the previous Images 2.0 system, making iteration noticeably quicker.