OpenAI Unveils Free Access to DALL-E 3: Daily Limit of Two Images Sparks Intensified Competition in AI Art Generation

OpenAI Launches DALL-E 3: Free Users Can Generate Two Images Daily

On August 9, 2023, OpenAI announced that free users of ChatGPT can now generate images using the DALL-E 3 model, allowing for at least two images per day. While this decision sparked considerable discussion, the response was somewhat muted due to the constraint of daily limits.

Originally released in September 2022, DALL-E 3 was initially exclusive to paid ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Users simply enter prompts in the ChatGPT input box to generate images. However, if they exceed the daily limit, a message appears stating, “You have reached your image creation limit. Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus, or try again tomorrow at the same time.”

This move by OpenAI is primarily driven by intense competition in the AI art space. DALL-E 3 competes with formidable rivals like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Adobe Firefly. Midjourney excels in artistic style and detail, occasionally surpassing DALL-E in those areas, though it falls short in prompt adherence. Stable Diffusion, as an open-source model, showcases unique strengths in surreal landscapes and architectural designs, while Adobe Firefly is known for high-quality portrait rendering, offering a wide dynamic range.

A significant enhancement in DALL-E 3 is ChatGPT's ability to generate prompts that assist users in creating images more easily. For instance, OpenAI's chief researcher, Aditya Ramesh, utilized ChatGPT to help design a logo for a ramen shop in the mountains, resulting in several options to choose from.

OpenAI is rolling out DALL-E 3's image creation capabilities across multiple platforms, including web, iOS, and Android. In April 2023, the company also launched a new editing interface that allows users to adjust images generated based on their descriptions. Moreover, since February, DALL-E 3 has incorporated watermarks from the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) to help users identify AI-generated content.

Internal personnel changes at OpenAI have also motivated this reform. Frequent executive shifts and talent departures led to the postponement of the planned October release of GPT-5, risking user disappointment and attrition. The recent beta testing of Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro, which has surpassed ChatGPT-4 in performance, has further fueled concerns about ChatGPT’s future.

In a bid to retain users, OpenAI has opened DALL-E 3 to free users, demonstrating its commitment to enhancing user experience and responding proactively to market competition.