Three unannounced "aurora" models appear in OpenAI's API and are quickly removed; image generation possibly being tested on Arena (leak)

Three names in the API list, soon removed

Three unannounced names, "aurora-red-alpha," "aurora-green-alpha" and "aurora-blue-alpha," briefly appeared in the model list of OpenAI's developer API on Oct. 18 (the same day Japan time). According to U.S.-based TestingCatalog, which tracks new features, the names were found through notifications in a developer Discord and soon disappeared from the list. The outlet believes they were published by mistake. There was no documentation or pricing information.

A few hours later, @LuminaBench, an account that tracks new-model information, and others reported that models with the same names were undergoing image generation tests on "Arena," an evaluation site where users compare and vote on the outputs of models whose names are hidden. All three appear to be image generation models, and some see them as candidates for the next image generation model, "GPT Image 3." TestingCatalog also leans toward this view but says it is speculation. OpenAI has announced nothing.

"Red" for speed, "green" for quality

According to reports from users who tried them on Arena, aurora-red-alpha generated quickly but with rough details, while aurora-green-alpha was slower but had better texture and detail. Taiwan's BigGo Finance reported the view that aurora-blue-alpha was the strongest overall. The company may be testing the same next-generation model with different balances of speed and quality.

Comparisons with current models produced mixed assessments. According to BigGo Finance, in a cat image, aurora-red had the better composition, but the current "GPT-Image-2.5" was superior in the realism of the fur. In a robot image, aurora-green stood out for its depiction of mechanical structure and color. TestingCatalog wrote that none of the images it had seen so far were particularly eye-catching.

"2.5" released only in September

OpenAI only just released "GPT-Image-2.5" in ChatGPT and the API on Sept. 8. In the API, it offered two versions: the fast "Flare," suited to everyday generation, and "Sunburst," which emphasizes editing precision. Because the three aurora models also appear to combine versions emphasizing speed and quality, some observers expect them to be released in multiple versions in the same way.

Other anonymous models also estimated to be OpenAI's

On Oct. 24 (Oct. 25 Japan time), @aitrackerbot, an account that tracks the appearance of models, reported that other anonymous image models that appeared on Arena, "shooting-star-red-alpha," "shooting-star-green-alpha" and "aurora-purple-alpha," also appear to be made by OpenAI. Based on an analysis of image characteristics, it determined that they use the same generation mechanism as GPT-Image-2.5. This is an estimate based on image analysis, and OpenAI has not confirmed it.