MAI-Image-2.6 Flashvs.ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

Which one is better?

In our own test both are on par. Neither is in the arena. ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) has no API price.

Test images

Same task, the first image of each. The task with the biggest difference is preselected.

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — MAI-Image-2.6 Flash90 out of 100

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): Product photography, first image from the fixed test run — ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)69 out of 100

Result for “Product photography”:MAI-Image-2.6 Flash slightly ahead

Prompt given to both modelsCreate a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

What the rating looks at: Materials, reflections, and fine details.

“Ahead”: better in all three rating rounds. “Slightly ahead”: a higher value, but not in every round.

Test protocol of the images

Each test attempt uses the same archived prompt and one request. The first output of that attempt counts. Repeats after technical test failures are disclosed for the affected images. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier and prompt processing can still differ. The images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019587, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:07 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: d6f2280312404df55179b7cf7d03468df04541eae774cc8d2b35e40e0820f06f

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: 138ee96636b4fae17774b98bc6253f8dab595f4763ab90dd069ac6883c3f392e

Infographic

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019598, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:07 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 5c40f304b9dad1876a8d2223d22ca0e431ba9fe8a16e878a81743ac8296b6649

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: 3ed35c9539f9e2df404a219548c778a92ac0ee3e39a9a1c7f0bab3ee179165bb

Product photography

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019589, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:06 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: 64376f13e8626feb37db3c138dde381843866e7d58fb87e8076c2fa9003365e4

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: c500c50a82c3c34b0caefcf73f08258fae3964682dafbee4737ac45855d14ee6

Typography and layout

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash: openrouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default resolution, received 1024x1024, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.019575, generated Nov 1, 2026, 8:43 AM. Source

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias): openai, 1024x1024, quality high, n=1, first output of one technical repeat after a local archive failure; two total submissions; the original attempt output was not retained, generated Nov 2, 2026, 3:06 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1. Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash image SHA 256: be8d86a467f73abfce15cdcce3073acc257baf1c87112c2b53a64b36efde0804

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) image SHA 256: 503ffd644f74423e8fdf617a2d8984f43f68fd87e287e4a3a94cec89c9666288

The numbers at a glance

Arena ratingfrom votes by users · higher is better

n/a

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

not in the arena

n/a

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

not in the arena

GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100 · higher is better

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Rank 31 of 108

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

Rank 25 of 108

Price per imagedollars through the API · lower is better

$0.019

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

cheap

n/a

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

no API price

Ranks among the 21 image models with an arena rating and the 108 with a GraduallyBench run; prices compared with 28 models with an API price.

MAI-Image-2.6 Flash

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: $0.019 per image, 100 images $1.95.

ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)

Subscription: n/a No plan in Germany names exactly this model.
Via API: No API price known. Access: API.
Weights: unknown.

Subscriptions only count plans that name exactly this model. Subscription prices include VAT, API prices are in dollars.

GraduallyBench from Nov 3, 2026 · API prices from Nov 6, 2026 · Subscription database from Sep 29, 2026 (38 days old)

All data side by side

The better value is bold. For ratings only when the gap is clear.

Kennzahl	MAI-Image-2.6 Flash	ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias)
Ratings
Arena ratingfrom votes by users, higher is better	n/a	n/a
Arena rank	n/a	n/a
Arena votesmore votes, a safer rating	n/a	n/a
GraduallyBenchour own rating, 0 to 100	67	69
GraduallyBench by task
Typography and layoutLegible text, hierarchy, and composition	54	68
Product photographyMaterials, reflections, and fine details	90	69
Character and detailAnatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency	52	57
InfographicNumbers, labels, and visual organization	74	83
API price
Per imagelower is better	$0.019	n/a
100 images	$1.95	n/a
Profile
Released	Jul 31, 2026	n/a
Weightsopen means: runs locally	proprietary	unknown
Lifecycle	Preview in Microsoft Foundry	Deprecated, non-reproducible rolling alias; API shutdown announced for December 1, 2026
Access	API	API
Parameters	not published	not published
Largest output	2,359,296 pixels	not consistently published
Plans in Germanynaming exactly this model	n/a	n/a

API prices for one image at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels according to Artificial Analysis.

Sources: MAI-Image-2.6 Flash model source, status source (verified Sep 24, 2026) · ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) model source, status source (verified Nov 1, 2026)

Arena ratings by category

From blind votes on LMArena. “Ahead” means the lead is clear.

No shared arena score in the stored snapshot

The stored benchmark database contains no measurement for MAI-Image-2.6 Flash and ChatGPT Image Latest (API-Alias) from the same arena and category. Older model versions are not used as substitutes.

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