GPT Image 2.5 pits Flare, Sunburst and Nano Banana Pro – same prompt, three results
midjourney openai
| Source: Mastodon | Original article
OpenAI released GPT Image 2.5 in two variants, Flare and Sunburst, which alongside Nano Banana Pro produce differing outputs from the same prompt.
OpenAI has rolled out the second generation of its ChatGPT‑powered image engine, GPT‑Image 2.5, in two distinct API flavours – Flare and Sunburst – and both are now listed on the CVY.AI marketplace. The launch, announced on 8 September 2026, adds a “Sketch” tool that lets users refine outputs with simple brush strokes and supports comment‑based editing, while promising roughly 50 percent faster generation than the previous version.
The move positions OpenAI directly against Google’s Gemini‑derived Nano Banana Pro (officially Gemini 2.5 Flash Image), which has been on the market since August 2025 and is praised for raw speed and multimodal understanding. Early side‑by‑side tests show the two OpenAI variants differ in style and control: Flare leans toward higher‑fidelity detail, while Sunburst favours broader colour dynamics and lower latency. Nano Banana Pro, by contrast, continues to lead on raw throughput but offers fewer built‑in editing primitives.
Why it matters is twofold. First, the split into Flare and Sunburst gives developers granular choice between quality and speed, echoing OpenAI’s broader strategy of modular AI services that can be mixed into custom workflows – a trend highlighted at DevDay 2026. Second, the inclusion of an interactive Sketch layer signals a shift from pure text‑to‑image generation toward hybrid, user‑guided creation, narrowing the gap between AI tools and traditional graphic software. Pricing and API throttling details remain sparse, but early commentary suggests OpenAI is targeting the same consumer‑focused market segment that Nano Banana currently dominates.
Looking ahead, the community will be watching adoption metrics on CVY.AI and the broader OpenAI API, as well as any pricing adjustments that could tip the cost‑benefit balance. Competitors may respond with new editing features or tighter integration into existing design suites. Finally, developers are likely to experiment with chaining Flare or Sunburst with OpenAI’s other multimodal models – for example, using GPT‑6‑driven agents to generate prompts or post‑process images – a development that could reshape how AI‑generated visuals are produced at scale.
Sources
Back to AIPULSEN