Free ChatGPT Images Might Get a Watermark

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is planning to add watermarks to images made by people using the free version of ChatGPT.

🕵️ The Leak: Hidden Code, Not-So-Hidden Intentions

This scoop comes courtesy of AI researcher Tibot Blaho, who spotted a rather telling line of code buried in the latest beta version of the ChatGPT Android app. It reads:

"image-gen-watermark-for-free"

Not much room for interpretation there.

While OpenAI hasn't officially commented, the writing’s on the digital wall: users on the free tier will likely start seeing watermarks on their generated images. Meanwhile, paid users (like those on ChatGPT Plus) could remain watermark-free — at least for now.

🔮 What Comes Next?

While this watermarking update hasn’t rolled out just yet, it seems inevitable, especially as OpenAI expands access to its image generation tools. It’ll be interesting to see how users react and whether watermarking becomes the new norm across all AI image generators.

But one thing’s clear: the era of anonymous AI art may be coming to a close… unless you're paying for the privilege.

Why Is OpenAI Doing This?

There are two main reasons:

To show what’s made by AI – Many people are worried about fake or misleading content online. By adding a watermark, it’s easier to see that an image was made by AI and not a real photo or drawing from a human.
To encourage people to upgrade – Let’s be honest, this might also be a smart way to push users toward the paid version of ChatGPT. If free users get watermarks and paid users don’t, more people might want to upgrade for clean, watermark-free images.