ChatGPT Might Add Watermarks To AI Pictures However Paid Customers May Bypass It

OpenAI seems to be getting ready to introduce watermarks on AI-generated photos in ChatGPT, based mostly on findings from an APK teardown of the app’s newest beta model (v1.2025.196). The characteristic, at present in growth, might apply watermarks to all generated photos, notably for customers on the free tier. Nonetheless, indications recommend that paid customers might be given the choice to avoid wasting photos with out the watermark.

The APK teardown — a course of the place in-development app code is examined for unreleased options — revealed a string labeled “image-gen-watermark-for-free,” which means that watermarking could also be restricted to free accounts. This aligns with an earlier leak from April 2025, when a watermark characteristic labeled “ImageGen” was first noticed by a person on X (previously Twitter).

Screenshots from the activated characteristic shared by AndroidAuthority present the usual picture interplay choices — Edit, Choose, Save, and Share — together with a new choice within the three-dot menu: “Save with out watermark.” Whereas this characteristic was momentarily enabled even for a free-tier account throughout testing, it’s probably that entry will likely be restricted to subscribers as soon as the characteristic is formally launched.

There’s nonetheless some uncertainty about how the watermarking system will likely be applied. One risk is that all customers will see watermarked photos by default, with solely paid customers in a position to take away the watermark. One other state of affairs might contain permitting all customers to avoid wasting unwatermarked photos, however via a extra sophisticated course of that daunts widespread informal use. This technique might assist OpenAI steadiness transparency and branding with person flexibility.

It’s necessary to notice that this watermarking characteristic has not been formally introduced by OpenAI, and its inclusion within the last launch isn’t assured. APK teardowns provide insights into options that builders are experimenting with, however they don’t verify last implementation.

OpenAI continues to experiment with a variety of recent options for ChatGPT, together with Research Collectively modes, Picture Kinds, and subscription modifications like a potential annual plan. The watermarking characteristic provides to this listing of in-progress enhancements, doubtlessly signaling a broader effort to handle the traceability and use of AI-generated content material.

Till OpenAI makes an official assertion, these findings stay speculative. Additional updates are anticipated as growth progresses.

Filed in Cellphones >Robots. Learn extra about AI (Artificial Intelligence), ChatGPT and OpenAI.