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March 30, 2025
The image generation of OpenAI's multimodal AI model GPT-4o fascinates users with a seemingly step-by-step creation process. A supposed glimpse into the gradual construction of the image, line by line, reinforces the impression of a complex, artistic process. However, new findings suggest that this effect is merely a clever animation in the frontend, i.e., on the user's browser side.
This was discovered through an analysis of the frontend code of GPT-4o. Instead of receiving the image pixel by pixel from the server, only five intermediate stages of the image are transmitted. These snapshots of the generation process are then animated client-side to create the impression of a continuous emergence. The effect thus simulates the gradual construction, while the actual image generation takes place in the background on OpenAI's servers.
The transmission of only five intermediate images is an efficient method to reduce the amount of data and minimize loading times. Instead of sending a complete image in each step, only the changes, so-called patches, are transmitted. These patches have a size of 8, which suggests a compact representation of the image information. By combining these small data packets with the frontend animation, the impression of a fluid image generation is created, although the process runs server-side in distinct steps.
This insight into the workings of image generation in GPT-4o is relevant for both developers and users. Developers can learn from this technique and use similar approaches to optimize the representation of complex processes in their applications. The frontend animation allows for an appealing visualization without excessively burdening server performance.
For users, this means a better understanding of the technology behind GPT-4o. The seemingly continuous image construction is a user-friendly representation of a complex process. The animation clarifies the individual steps of image generation without presenting the technical details in the foreground. This contributes to an intuitive and fascinating user experience.
The unveiling of the frontend trick raises questions about future developments. Could other aspects of AI models be visualized through similar techniques? What possibilities arise from the combination of server-side computation and client-side representation? The optimization of the user interface and the transparent representation of complex processes are important factors for the acceptance and successful use of AI technologies. The findings on GPT-4o provide valuable impulses for the further development and design of future AI applications.
Bibliographie: - https://x.com/jie_liu1/status/1905761704195346680 - https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1jk1xdx/gpt4os_image_generation_is_insane_i_just_got_a/ - https://community.openai.com/t/your-dall-e-problems-now-solved-by-gpt-4o-multimodal-image-creation-in-chatgpt/1152166 - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jan-r-seyler_openai-released-image-generation-in-gpt-4o-activity-7310780512778739713-e8bV - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY33lIBPUQE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI6UB7_LVuQ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILyMG38Q1LQ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfRCjA5Sq6I