ChatGPT will now make you animated GIFs

OpenAI has updated ChatGPT with the ability to generate animated GIFs directly within the chat interface, a capability the platform previously lacked. The feature is rolling out as part of the Images 2.6 model update and works from either a text prompt or a photo that the user uploads. Once a GIF is generated, it can be shared with others without leaving the app.

The workflow is straightforward: a user types a prompt - something like "make a GIF of a cat dancing" - and ChatGPT produces an animated result on the spot. From there, users can adjust playback speed and inspect the animation frame by frame, giving a modest degree of control over the final output. That kind of inline editing was not possible before this update, when creating a GIF typically meant exporting still images and using a separate tool to stitch them together.

The GIF support is one part of the broader Images 2.6 release. The update also brings faster image generation speeds, though the full scope of technical improvements in the new model version has not been detailed publicly. Images 2.6 follows a period of rapid iteration on OpenAI's image generation capabilities, which expanded significantly after the company integrated its image model more tightly into ChatGPT earlier this year.

For everyday users, the practical appeal is fairly clear - animated image creation is now a single-step process inside a tool many people already use. For those tracking the competitive landscape, it also signals that OpenAI continues to broaden ChatGPT's multimedia output beyond static images and text, edging it closer to an all-in-one content creation surface.