OpenAI is delaying the rollout of its new AI image-generation feature for free-tier users due to overwhelming demand, according to CEO Sam Altman.
✅ Unexpected Demand Surge – Altman says image generation in ChatGPT is far more popular than anticipated.
✅ Limited Access – As of now, only ChatGPT Pro, Plus, and Teams subscribers have access to the new feature.
✅ Recurring Capacity Issues – OpenAI has faced similar rollout delays, citing compute constraints.
✅ Stargate Data Center Project – The company’s planned $500B data center could help solve future capacity problems.
🚀 AI Image Generation Boom – The surge in demand highlights the growing appeal of multimodal AI.
🔍 Compute Shortages Persist – OpenAI’s struggle to meet demand raises questions about its infrastructure.
💡 Premium-Only Access Trend? – The delay could indicate a long-term shift toward prioritizing paid users.
Will OpenAI’s infrastructure catch up, or are free users getting left behind?