OpenAI has implemented a temporary rate limit on image generation requests in response to surging demand for ChatGPT’s enhanced image capabilities, according to CEO Sam Altman. In a recent post on X, Altman acknowledged the excitement surrounding the feature, stating, “It’s super fun seeing people love images in ChatGPT, but our GPUs are melting.” While he did not disclose the specifics of the rate limit, he expressed hope that this measure will be in place for a limited time as the company works on improving its capacity to manage the influx of user requests.
The increased demand has already led OpenAI to delay the introduction of its built-in image generator for free-tier users. However, that adjustment proved insufficient to alleviate the strain on the company’s resources. Altman indicated that free users will soon gain the ability to generate up to three images daily.
The improved image generation tool utilizes the company’s GPT-4o model, which enables the production of more realistic images and enhances features such as text rendering, a challenge in previous iterations. In an interview with Technology News, OpenAI highlighted this upgrade as a significant advancement over earlier models. Nevertheless, the introduction of rate limits underscores the substantial technical and energy demands required to generate images within ChatGPT.
