GPT Image 1.5 Explained: What’s New in ChatGPT Images (and How to Use It Like a Pro)

OpenAI just shipped a new version of ChatGPT Images, powered by its latest flagship image model: GPT Image 1.5. The promise is simple: whether you’re generating from scratch or editing a real photo, you get results that match what you meant—with up to 4× faster image generation and more reliable, detail-preserving edits. 

In this post, we’ll break down what GPT Image 1.5 is, what actually improved, where it still struggles, and how to prompt it for consistently better outputs. We’ll also cover how to compare it with other top models like Nano Banana Pro and Seedream 4.0—all in one workflow.

What is GPT Image 1.5?

GPT Image 1.5 is OpenAI’s newest image generation model, available:

• Inside ChatGPT as the engine behind the new ChatGPT Images experience 

• Via the OpenAI API as gpt-image-1.5 (with a model snapshot such as gpt-image-1.5-2025-12-16) 

The headline improvements OpenAI emphasizes are:

• More precise edits that preserve important details (lighting, composition, people’s appearance) 

• Stronger instruction following for complex compositions and edits 

• Better text rendering (denser, smaller, more legible text inside images) 

• Up to 4× faster generation for quicker iteration 

What’s new in ChatGPT Images (the product experience)

OpenAI didn’t just upgrade the model—it also introduced a more “creative studio” style workflow in ChatGPT:

1) Edits that change only what you asked for

GPT Image 1.5 is designed to “touch” fewer unintended parts of the image—so when you ask for a change, it’s less likely to rewrite the entire scene. OpenAI highlights consistency across edits for things like lighting, composition, and facial likeness. 

2) A dedicated Images space in ChatGPT

There’s now a dedicated Images area (sidebar on mobile and web) with:

• preset filters and prompt ideas

• trending prompts updated to reflect what people are making

• faster exploration without writing long prompts every time 

3) Common edit operations are explicitly supported

OpenAI calls out editing types like adding, subtracting, combining, blending, and transposing—basically the bread-and-butter of modern image workflows.

How to prompt GPT Image 1.5 for better results

OpenAI’s own prompting guide is worth copying into your team’s internal playbook. Here are the highest-leverage patterns:

1) Use a consistent prompt structure

OpenAI recommends ordering prompts like:

background/scene → subject → key details → constraints, and stating the intended use (ad, UI mock, infographic) to set the “mode.” 

Template

Goal/Use: (poster / ecommerce hero / UI mock / thumbnail)

Scene: (where, time, lighting)

Subject: (who/what)

Details: (materials, textures, camera, style)

Constraints: (keep layout, don’t change logo, no extra objects, exact text)

2) Iterate with small changes (don’t overload)

Start simple, then refine with one change at a time (“warmer lighting,” “remove extra object,” “restore original background”). 

3) For photorealism, prompt like a real photo

Ask for realistic textures and imperfections; use camera language (lens, framing, lighting) and avoid “studio” vibes unless you want that. 

4) For edits, explicitly “lock” what must not change

For try-on or identity-sensitive edits, spell out what must remain consistent (face, hair, pose, lighting) and what is allowed to change. (This is a recurring theme across OpenAI’s edit use cases.) 

GPT Image 1.5 vs Nano Banana Pro vs Seedream 4.0

If you’re choosing a model, here’s a practical way to think about it:

Nano Banana Pro (Google / Gemini)

Google positions Nano Banana Pro as especially strong for legible in-image text, including longer paragraphs and detailed mockups, with “studio-quality precision and control.” 

Seedream 4.0 (ByteDance)

Seedream 4.0 is described as a unified generation+editing model, designed for complex multimodal tasks and high-definition output up to 4K, with faster inference than its predecessor. 

GPT Image 1.5 (OpenAI)

GPT Image 1.5’s core pitch is better instruction following + more precise edits that preserve key details, plus 4× faster generation and better text rendering than before. 

The “best” choice depends on what you’re making: thumbnails, ecommerce catalogs, brand assets, UI mockups, or heavy text graphics.

Try GPT Image (and compare models) in Vmake AI Image Generator

If your workflow involves testing multiple models, you don’t want to bounce between platforms.

Vmake AI Image Generator is built for side-by-side creation across multiple advanced models (so you can pick the best output for your exact task). 

And if you’re specifically exploring Google’s model, Nano Banana Pro is available inside Vmake AI Image Generator. 

Inside Vmake, you can quickly run the same prompt across popular models (including Nano Banana Pro, GPT Image, and Seedream 4.0) and keep only the winner—whether you’re designing:

• YouTube thumbnails that need bold composition + readable text

• ecommerce visuals (variants, backgrounds, seasonal reskins)

• ad creatives and UGC-style graphics you’ll later animate into video

FAQ

Is GPT Image 1.5 available to all ChatGPT users?

OpenAI says the new ChatGPT Images model is rolling out globally to all ChatGPT users, and GPT Image 1.5 is available in the API. 

What’s the single best way to improve results?

Stop writing “one mega prompt.” Start with a clean base prompt and iterate with one change per turn—OpenAI explicitly recommends this approach. 

Does GPT Image 1.5 handle text better now?

Yes—OpenAI highlights improved dense/small text rendering in images, and the prompting guide emphasizes reliable in-image text and structured visuals like infographics.