I found the existing “Per-chat toggle to disable image generation” request, but that discussion is now locked, so I am adding my experience and proposing that OpenAI extend its existing Image Generation disable control to adult users.
I strongly support this request, and I would like to add another real-world example of why a hard OFF switch is necessary.
I am a ChatGPT Plus customer and use ChatGPT extensively as a working partner on a large website and publishing project. My work frequently involves screenshots, photographs, website backgrounds and other visual assets. I often need ChatGPT to LOOK at an image, analyze it, discuss it with me and write code around it. That does not mean I want ChatGPT to generate or edit an image.
Recently, I repeatedly and explicitly instructed ChatGPT not to generate images unless I specifically requested one. ChatGPT acknowledged the instruction. Nevertheless, it generated another unwanted image almost immediately.
I stopped it, repeated the instruction, and explained that unwanted image generation was wasting my time and resources. Again, ChatGPT acknowledged what I had said. Then it generated another unwanted image.
This happened repeatedly.
The important point is that conversational instructions are clearly not an adequate substitute for a permission control. If ChatGPT can acknowledge “Do not generate images” and then invoke image generation anyway, the user does not actually have reliable control over that tool.
This has consequences beyond the inconvenience of receiving an unwanted picture. I work with ChatGPT for many hours on substantial projects. Unrequested image generation interrupts that work, consumes my time and resources, and seriously damages the trust that makes this kind of long-term collaboration useful.
I would also point out that the underlying technology for such a control already exists within ChatGPT. OpenAI already provides the ability to disable Image Generation through parental controls. There is therefore no entirely new concept to invent here. What is needed is to extend user control over that capability so adult customers can decide whether Image Generation is permitted in their own chats or projects.
I would like a user-controlled Image Generation ON/OFF switch, preferably available at both the chat and project level.
When Image Generation is OFF:
• ChatGPT should still be able to view, analyze and discuss uploaded images.
• ChatGPT should still be able to write code involving images and visual elements.
• The image-generation and image-editing tools should be technically unavailable to the conversation.
• If I explicitly ask ChatGPT to create an image while the switch is OFF, ChatGPT should tell me that Image Generation is disabled and allow me to decide whether to enable it.
Most importantly, ChatGPT itself should not be able to override that setting. OFF needs to be a permission controlled by the user, not a preference the model can reinterpret.
This would improve customer control, prevent unwanted consumption of resources, and make ChatGPT substantially more efficient for professional and project-based work.
There are other AI services available. The inability to resolve an issue for which the underlying control technology already exists is prompting me to investigate those alternatives. I would prefer not to do that. I value ChatGPT enormously and have developed a remarkably productive working relationship here. That is precisely why this issue matters so much to me.
Please give adult users direct control over whether ChatGPT is permitted to generate images.