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We Tried ChatGPT Image 2 — It Can Do THIS?
2026.04.23Hi, this is Team Carat. 🤗
On April 21, OpenAI released ChatGPT Image 2. It's a massive leap from the previous model (GPT-4o Image), and within just two days, social media went wild.
The model's codename is 'Duct Tape'. Before the official launch, it appeared on LM Arena as three anonymous models (packingtape, maskingtape, gaffertape), swept first place, then vanished. It proved its dominance before anyone even knew what it was.
What's Different?
1. It writes text almost perfectly
When older AI image models were asked to create 'a Korean street at night,' the sign text would be garbled or filled with meaningless symbols. Now, with ChatGPT Image 2, the result looks indistinguishable from a real photo. Sign text like '치킨과 맥주' (Chicken & Beer), '노래방 24시' (Karaoke 24h), and '빈티지 의류' (Vintage Clothing) all renders correctly.
Non-Latin scripts like Korean, Japanese, and Hindi are rendered accurately too. Community tests report over 95% text accuracy across Latin, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic. Signs, menus, and posters come out nearly error-free.
2. It knows the real world
Ask for 'Starbucks Reserve Roastery interior,' and it accurately reproduces the massive copper cask, the Reserve star logo, and the wooden tables. It understands brands, places, and cultural context from its training data, making 'looks real' images possible. It's hard to tell apart from an actual photo.
3. It thinks before it creates
According to OpenAI, this model has thinking capabilities. Ask it to 'create a full set of skincare brand marketing assets,' and it generates an Instagram post, story ad, web banner, and business card at different sizes automatically. Korean typography is accurate across every piece, and brand colors stay consistent.
🔥 Viral Examples That Broke the Internet
Within two days, thousands of examples flooded X, Reddit, and LinkedIn. Here are the ones that got the most attention.
Korean Beverage Parody Ad Poster
A parody poster in classic Korean beverage ad style. The '비락 식혜' (Birak Sikhye) can, '전통의 맛, 한국의 DRINK!' slogan, and golden splash background perfectly replicate retro Korean ad aesthetics. Multiple layers of Korean text come out nearly typo-free.
18-Panel Mascot Brand Identity
An 18-section character design sheet for a tea brand. Brand DNA analysis, moodboard, form study, line art, 3D turnaround, expressions, poses, color development, and merchandise mockups — the entire professional character design process captured in a single image.
Dark Mode Marketing Case Study UI
A landing page mockup for a viral marketing agency. Glassmorphism effects, neon purple/blue accents, timelines, charts, and stat cards — it's as polished as a real website. Mixed-language text (Chinese and English) throughout the UI is all accurately rendered.
Tech Tutorial YouTube Thumbnail
YouTube thumbnails like this are now possible. Bold typography, an app UI mockup, and a presenter — all in one image. Text placement, shadows, and color balance are all at the level of what a real creator would produce.
Carat's Editor Did a Side-by-Side Comparison
We tested Carat's Nano Banana 2 and ChatGPT Image 2 with identical prompts. We compared results across 42 prompts covering everyday, cinematic, editorial, action, and more.
Left is Nano Banana 2, right is ChatGPT Image 2.
📸 Portraits
❶ Woman taking a selfie with iced americano on a Hangang Park bench
❷ Full-body OOTD snap of a woman walking with ice cream in Seongsu-dong
❸ Instagram feed photo with latte art close-up at a Seongsu-dong vintage café
**Editor's take: **Some results do have heavily filtered looks, but overall, the composition and poses were more satisfying.
🎬 Cinematic
❶ Rainy Tokyo alley, woman with yellow umbrella standing by a vending machine
❷ Rainy night parking garage, woman in leather jacket leaning against a pillar — noir mood
❸ Man in black turtleneck in darkness, tense expression — thriller movie scene
**Editor's take: **Nano Banana 2 does well too, but ChatGPT Image 2 especially excels at moody scenes and facial expressions.
📰 Editorial / Fashion
❶ Glass perfume bottle on white background with water droplets — luxury product shot
❷ Full-body fashion editorial of a woman in beige trench coat in a clean studio
❸ Post-workout female boxer with sweat, Vogue beauty editorial meets Nike campaign
**Editor's take: **Nano Banana often doesn't generate product packaging covers unless specifically asked. ChatGPT Image 2 produces them with higher completeness by default.
⚡ Action
❶ Female tennis player hitting a forehand on clay court, dust flying
❷ Dunk shot moment on a basketball court, sweat drops in freeze motion
❸ Diving into a pool — split underwater/surface composition with splash
**Editor's take: **The difference is clear in dynamic scenes. Sweat drops, dust, and water splashes are captured much better.
Community Reactions
Across X, Reddit, and designer communities, praise for text rendering and world knowledge is overwhelming. Many say simple marketing assets can now skip Photoshop entirely, and text is 'trustworthy for the first time.' On the flip side, slow generation speed, stricter content filters, and occasional Chinese-looking faces when Korean faces are requested are noted as drawbacks.
At a Glance
Nano Banana 2 Strengths
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Fast generation speed, specialized for Korean SNS aesthetics
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High accuracy for short Korean text
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Results feel familiar for K-beauty and Instagram feed styles
ChatGPT Image 2 Strengths
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Higher portrait quality with more natural composition and backgrounds
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Dominant in long text and complex layouts
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Commercial-grade quality for product and ad photography
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Excellent non-Latin script rendering (Korean, Chinese, Japanese)
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'Thinking' model that excels at complex multi-element requests
ChatGPT Image 2 — Things to Note
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Generation speed is slower (complex images can take several minutes)
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Stricter content filter — some prompts get rejected
Try It on Carat
ChatGPT Image 2 is now available on Carat. Use it alongside Nano Banana 2 and pick the right model for each task.
For fast results or Korean SNS vibes, go with Nano Banana 2. For higher portrait quality or text-heavy designs, ChatGPT Image 2 is the way to go.
On Carat, you can freely switch between models or generate with the same prompt simultaneously to compare. Try it out and find the model that fits your workflow.