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OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra outperforms GPT-5.6 in image generation

By PulseAugur Editorial · [2 sources] ·

Simon Willison has published a comparison of OpenAI's new GPT-6 Astra model against its GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna models, focusing on image generation capabilities. The Astra model, despite being potentially more expensive per token, produced superior pelican images across various reasoning levels and used fewer input tokens than the GPT-5.6 models. Willison noted that Astra's lower reasoning levels still outperformed GPT-5.6 Sol, though Astra did not consistently render pelican legs correctly at lower settings. AI

IMPACT Newer models like GPT-6 Astra show improved image generation quality and efficiency over previous versions.

RANK_REASON Blog post comparing AI models.

Read on Mastodon — sigmoid.social →

AI-generated summary · Google Gemini · from 2 sources. How we write summaries →

OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra outperforms GPT-5.6 in image generation

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COVERAGE [2]

  1. Simon Willison TIER_1 English(EN) ·

    The Pelican comparison grid for Astra is pretty interesting

    <p>I got access to GPT-6 Astra this afternoon, so naturally I used it to generate <a href="https://simonwillison.net/tags/pelican-riding-a-bicycle/">SVGs of pelicans riding bicycles</a> - at low, medium, high, xhigh and max reasoning levels (Astra doesn't support reasoning=none).…

  2. Mastodon — sigmoid.social TIER_1 English(EN) · [email protected] ·

    The Pelican comparison grid for Astra is pretty interesting https://simonwillison.net/2026/Sep/4/astra-pelicans/ # Tech # AI # OpenSource

    The Pelican comparison grid for Astra is pretty interesting https://simonwillison.net/2026/Sep/4/astra-pelicans/ # Tech # AI # OpenSource

    LINKS simonwillison.net/…/astra-pelicans

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