Free GPT-4o Image Generation Sparks a Ghibli-style art wave
April 1, 2025 – OpenAI officially announced that its newest GPT-4o model would offer its powerful “text-to-image” feature to free users. Consequently, this update not only redefines the boundaries of AI-generated content but also triggers explosive user growth across the globe.
Ghibli-Style Comics: The Key to GPT-4o’s Breakthrough
Right after GPT-4o’s text-to-image feature went live, it swiftly ignited a worldwide craze. In fact, “Ghibli-style” images alone have already taken over social media feeds. Because users simply need to provide a short prompt, they can generate high-quality, creative images. Moreover, this convenience has attracted a massive influx of new users.
For instance, you just enter the prompt: “Ghibli comic style, with OpenAI and GPT-4o in the middle. GPT-4o font slightly smaller.”
Furthermore, GPT-4o can create a series of Ghibli-style comics. If you need to refine your images several times, you can rely on GPT-4o’s multi-turn dialogue to “train” the model step by step via text commands.
Additionally, you can upload an image and have GPT-4o transform it into a Ghibli-style illustration, a method that has already become popular both at home and abroad.
Remarkably, some users even combined GPT-4o with Kuaishou Keling to produce a Ghibli-inspired teaser for The Lord of the Rings.
Beyond style transformations, GPT-4o can also convert rough sketches directly into finished illustrations, which is a huge time-saver for designers.
Likewise, GPT-4o can instantly produce design drafts. If you upload a random photo of a shoe and prompt it with “Create an ‘80s creative ad in Adidas style,” GPT-4o will quickly generate a unique advertising concept.
Eventually, after seeing these examples, you might feel inspired to try it yourself. However, although GPT-4o supports Chinese prompts, it is best to use English for more precise text rendering.
Key Milestones for GPT-4o’s Multi-Modal AI
May 13, 2024
OpenAI launched the GPT-4o model, marking a significant breakthrough in multi-modal AI. Notably, this model processes text, images, audio, and video. Its “text-to-image” feature went live the same day but was initially offered only to paid users.
March 25, 2025
OpenAI introduced GPT-4o’s native image-generation functionality, allowing users to create or edit pictures using natural language prompts. Consequently, this improvement further optimized the integration between text and images, attracting many creators and enterprises.
April 1, 2025
OpenAI announced that GPT-4o’s text-to-image feature would become available to free users, although limited to three images per day. Therefore, this decision significantly expanded its user base, pushing ChatGPT’s active user count past 500 million.
This timeline was also generated by GPT-4o
DALL-E vs GPT-4o
In the field of image generation, OpenAI’s DALL-E series has set the industry benchmark. Nevertheless, GPT-4o’s text-to-image capability is not just a routine upgrade—it represents a sweeping technological transformation. Compared to the DALL-E series, GPT-4o has made significant progress in numerous areas
Specifically, GPT-4o applies autoregressive generation to merge language comprehension with image creation into a single workflow. Consequently, it can maintain contextual consistency throughout conversations and refine images in real time based on user feedback. Conversely, DALL-E 3, despite its enhanced image quality, continues to rely on a modular approach that hinders more natural interaction
GPU Shortages: A New Bottleneck for the AI Industry
On April 1, 2025, OpenAI Co-founder and CEO Sam Altman stated on social media, “When we launched ChatGPT 26 months ago, it was the most astonishing viral spread I’ve ever witnessed. We reached one million users within five days, and in the past hour alone, we’ve added another million.”
Subsequently, he declared that GPT-4o’s text-to-image feature would once again be free. However, the response was even more overwhelming than anticipated. As a result, OpenAI faced an unprecedented challenge in allocating enough computing resources to meet sky-high user demand. Consequently, Sam Altman urgently appealed to suppliers for 100,000 GPUs to alleviate the shortage. If this call went unanswered, the deployment of new features might slow down, and existing services could suffer from reduced speeds.
ChatGPT Training Service Application
Looking to equip your team with ChatGPT skills and apply them across various business scenarios with ease? Sinokap is dedicated to delivering efficient, comprehensive IT service solutions for enterprises—ranging from on-site IT engineer support, custom software development, system integration, and hardware procurement to IT consulting. In addition, we offer a series of value-added training programs to help employees, whether they are beginners or experienced users, fully master ChatGPT-related skills so they can harness the full potential of AI features like “text-to-image” in their day-to-day work.
If you’re considering integrating GPT-4o’s text-to-image feature or other AI technologies into your organization, feel free to reach out to us anytime. Sinokap will partner with you to explore the new opportunities of the AI era and usher your business into a whole new chapter of digital transformation.
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