OpenAI Reportedly Testing Watermarks for ChatGPT-Generated Images

OpenAI might start watermarking images generated by ChatGPT

There will supposedly be an option to "save without watermark," but it's unknown whether that'll be available to free users. Android Authority has been digging around in the files of the latest ChatGPT app (beta version 1.2025.196) and now reports that OpenAI will soon start watermarking images generated using the AI tool. When generating an image with ChatGPT, you will soon be able to select "Save without watermark" in the menu behind the three dots in the top-right corner of the app. Obviously, this feature would be rather useless if images weren't going to be watermarked. Will all users be able to save images without watermarks? We don't know yet. Android Authority speculates that the feature may sit behind a paywall and only be available to paid ChatGPT subscribers. None of this has been announced or confirmed by OpenAI as of this writing, and it's possible this feature won't make it through to the stable release versions of ChatGPT at all. We'll have to wait and see.

ChatGPT is testing watermarks on AI-generated images -- here's what you need to know

OpenAI has been busy recently. New features, an agent mode and now, there could be a potentially controversial update on the horizon. According to Android Authority, ChatGPT could soon be watermarking your AI-generated images. This was originally identified by X user Tibor Blaho, who spotted a mention of "image-gen-watermark-for-free" in a beta version of ChatGPT for Android. Android Authority then followed this up with a report that the latest beta test version of the app includes a "save without watermark" option when generating images. While it's not entirely clear what this feature will look like, or if it will come at all, it does appear that this will mean watermarked AI images, but only for those on the free version of ChatGPT. When testing the feature, Android Authority highlighted that they were able to remove the watermark using the free version of ChatGPT. However, as this is still the beta version, it is likely that this will change when the feature comes to market. With the information currently available, it is hard to know exactly what OpenAI's plan is here. It could end up being a watermark across all images, or more likely, a feature exclusively for free plans. AI providers are quickly having to find ways to make up the costs going into the models. While this used to be funding for the most part, the financial model is slowly switching to subscription plans. This means there needs to be enough benefits for users to go up to one of ChatGPT's more expensive plans, leaving the free version behind. Having the ability to remove watermarks would be a major benefit to most users. Currently, none of the other major AI image generators are watermarking their images, so this would be a controversial move for OpenAI. Alternatively, as ChatGPT still remains the biggest competitor out there, we could simply see other players following behind. If ChatGPT does introduce watermarks on its free plan, some users will want to move elsewhere. These days, most of the best AI image generators are locked behind paywalls. The likes of Midjourney and Gemini require you to pay a subscription to create images, as does major names like Freepik. There are a few places where you can do it for free, like Grok, but these are usually only available in limited numbers. Realistically, AI image generation is slowly becoming a pay-to-use service. Or at least it will be if you want to avoid long wait times or limited numbers of image generations.

ChatGPT may soon add watermark to AI images, but paid users could skip it: Report

OpenAI has not officially confirmed or announced the feature yet. OpenAI is developing a new watermarking system for images created using ChatGPT, according to an AndroidHeadlines report. It also mentioned that a reference to the "image-gen-watermark-for-free" tag was discovered in the application's beta release, implying that it may only apply to users on the free tier. According to the report, a hidden Save without watermark option was discovered, indicating that the company may allow paying subscribers to bypass it under certain conditions. According to early access testers, the new option will be available under the three dot menu in the image preview interface. The report has also included screenshots of the feature. Along with the standard options such as Edit, Select, Save, and Share, the menu now displays an additional Save without watermark toggle when enabled. The option was visible on free tier accounts during testing, but this could be due to the experimental nature of the rollout and does not necessarily reflect the final implementation. Also read: Oppo Reno 13 price drops by over Rs 10,000 on Flipkart: Check deal details here This action follows ongoing privacy concerns about AI and its growth to increase authenticity and transparency, particularly as AI-generated images become more popular and difficult to distinguish from real ones. This will help to reduce concerns about misinformation and unauthorised use of AI-generated visuals. Premium users, on the other hand, will be able to opt out of watermarking offers, giving professionals more flexibility when using the tool for commercial or creative purposes. It's worth noting that OpenAI hasn't issued an official statement regarding this addition. It is possible that it will be modified or scrapped before being released to the public. It also remains unclear if this will be available all over the world or to specific segments.