OpenAI GPT Image 3? 3 Aurora models spotted

This is a rumor.

OpenAI may be testing a new AI that makes pictures, the news site TestingCatalog reported on the 18th of October 2026. Three models named Aurora red, green and blue showed up in OpenAI's API, then went away.

The API is the paid door apps use to reach OpenAI's AI. Some testers think the models are an early GPT Image 3, TestingCatalog wrote, and OpenAI has said nothing.

Where the 3 Aurora names were seen

The names were first caught by an alert in a chat group for coders, TestingCatalog wrote.

The website CellCog asked OpenAI's API for its list of models on the 18th of October. It found the 3 names, all added within 2 minutes on the 17th, its blog says.

Below we break down what testers saw on Arena

Arena is a website where people see pictures from 2 hidden AI models and vote for the better one. The test group Lumina wrote on the 18th of October that it met all 3 Aurora names there.

Lumina showed cat pictures from the red and green models. Red was faster but worse, and green was slower but better, TestingCatalog reported.

No picture from the blue model had been shown, both sites said. TestingCatalog called the GPT Image 3 link a guess.

OpenAI's picture models today: GPT Image 2.5 at 30 dollars per million

OpenAI's newest picture models are GPT Image 2.5 Flare, for speed, and Sunburst, for fine detail, its guide says. They came out on the 8th of September 2026, OpenAI's developer forum shows.

Both cost 30 dollars per million picture tokens they make, OpenAI's price page shows. Tokens are small pieces of a picture or of words.

Daily Agentic follows this rumor closely

Daily Agentic follows this rumor closely. It will publish a full article as soon as solid data appears.

Key facts

Three Aurora model names were added to OpenAI's API on the 17th of October 2026, CellCog wrote.

Lumina showed pictures from 2 of them on Arena on the 18th.

OpenAI has not confirmed a GPT Image 3.

Today's GPT Image 2.5 costs 30 dollars per million picture tokens.