So far we have seen LLMs be all about text generation, but looks like things are changing. In the last 15 days, we have seen Google launch its best ever model – Gemini 2.5 Pro with strong image generation capabilities, x.ai releasing image editing features in Grok 3. Open AI has just dropped its best image generation model to date in GPT-4o. All these multimodal models are expanding their reach beyond text to bring visual creativity into their responses. In this blog, we will compare the image generation and editing capabilities of GPT-4o, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Grok 3 to find which LLM is best when it comes to working with images.
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Image Generation with GPT 4o, Gemini 2.5 Pro and Grok 3
Open AI just released its most capable image generation model and incorporated it in GPT-4o. The result? GPt 4o now comes with advanced image generation capabilities, with the ability to produce precise, accurate, and photorealistic images. This advancement combines multimodal understanding, enabling the model to generate images that not only follow prompts but also integrate text, context, and visual inspiration.
Gemini 2.5 Pro (Experimental) is a multimodal model by Google that seamlessly integrates text and image generation under a single simplified framework. This model is designed to generate high-quality visuals with precision, leveraging the same cutting-edge technology used in Gemini’s natural language processing systems.
Grok 3, developed by xAI, comes with advanced image generation features that set it apart in the realm of multimodal models. Launched in February 2025, Grok 3 integrates a powerful autoregressive image generation model, code-named Aurora, designed to produce high-quality, photorealistic images from text prompts.
Key Features and How to Access
| Details | GPT-4o | Gemini 2.5 Pro | Grok 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Features |
• Photorealistic, precise image generation • Multimodal: integrates text and visual context • Transforms uploaded images • Excellent text rendering in images • Context-aware, consistent visuals • Free + paid access (mobile & web, not yet on API) |
• High-quality images aligned with narrative • Fast performance, low compute requirement • Advanced reasoning & contextual accuracy • Multi-turn conversational image editing • Excels at long, extended text rendering • Designed to make image generation conversational |
• High-quality, lifelike image generation • Reimagines and edits user-uploaded images • Accurate text rendering in images • Real-time refinements via natural language • Free access via X platform (Grok.com) |
| How to Access |
1. Visit: https://chatgpt.com/ 2. Log into your account 3. Select GPT-4o from model dropdown |
1. Visit: https://aistudio.google.com/welcome 2. Log into Google AI Studio 3. Under “Run Settings”, choose Gemini 2.5 Pro (Experimental) model |
1. Log into your X account 2. Access Grok via www.grok.com |
Image Generation: GPT 4o vs Gemini 2.5 Pro vs Grok 3
I’ll be evaluating the image generation capabilities of the three models on the following three tasks:
- Text Rendering
- Instruction Following
- In Context Learning
Let’s start with each one of them and compare the results.
Task 1: Text Rendering
Prompt: “I’m opening a traditional concept restaurant in Marin called Haein. It focuses on Korean food cooked with organic, farm-fresh ingredients, with a rotating menu based on what’s seasonal. I want you to design an image – a menu incorporating the following menu items – lean into the traditional/rustic style while keeping it feeling upscale and sleek. Please also include illustrations of each dish in an elegant, peter rabbit style. Make sure all the text is rendered correctly, with a white background.
(Top)
Doenjang Jjigae (Fermented Soybean Stew) – $18 House-made doenjang with local mushrooms, tofu, and seasonal vegetables served with rice.
Galbi Jjim (Braised Short Ribs) – $34 Slow-braised local grass-fed beef ribs with pear and black garlic glaze, seasonal root vegetables, and jujube.
Grilled Seasonal Fish – Market Price ($22-$30) Whole or fillet of local, sustainable fish grilled over charcoal, served with perilla leaf ssam and house-made sauces.
Bibimbap – $19 Heirloom rice with a rotating selection of farm-fresh vegetables, house-fermented gochujang, and pasture-raised egg.
Bossam (Heritage Pork Wraps) – $28 Slow-cooked pork belly with napa cabbage wraps, oyster kimchi, perilla, and seasonal condiments.
(Bottom) Dessert & Drinks Seasonal Makgeolli (Rice Wine) – $12/glass
Rotating flavors based on seasonal fruits and flowers (persimmon, citrus, elderflower, etc.).
Hoddeok (Korean Sweet Pancake) – $9 Pan-fried cinnamon-stuffed pancake with black sesame ice cream.”
GPT 4o Output:
Gemini 2.5 Pro:
Grok 3 Output:
Review
| Model | GPT-4o | Gemini 2.5 Pro | Grok 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Result | It’s very difficult to find fault in this image. Although the image generation takes time, all the text details that were mentioned in the prompt are covered in the generated image. The image also consists of relevant images of different dishes placed next to where they are being covered in the menu. | There are some wins and some losses in the image generated by this model. The generated image did cover a lot of the dishes mentioned in the prompt but not all of them. The descriptions it generated were not in English but in some other language. The images it included were not as relevant to the dishes. | The model generated two images but none of them were truly relevant for the task. Neither of the two images covered any dish mentioned in the prompt. Moreover, the final image did not appear as the image of a menu. |
It’s surprising to see a model capture this much amount of context within a single image but GPT 4o image generation surely is groundbreaking! It didn’t miss a single element in the prompt and the final image it generated looked like a professional menu.
Verdict
For this task GPT 4o is the winner. Gemini 2.5 Pro comes second while Grok 3 takes up third place.
Task 2: Instruction Following
Prompt: “A square image containing a 4-row by 4-column grid containing 16 objects on a white background. Go from left to right, top to bottom. Here’s the list:
a blue star
red triangle
green square
pink circle
orange hourglass
purple infinity sign
black and white polka dot bowtie
tiedye “42”
an orange cat wearing a black baseball cap
a map with a treasure chest
a pair of googly eyes
a thumbs up emoji
a pair of scissors
a blue and white giraffe
the word “OpenAI” written in cursive
a rainbow-colored lightning bolt”
Output by GPT 4o
Output by Gemini 2.5 Pro
Output by Grok 3
Review
| Model | GPT-4o | Gemini 2.5 Pro | Grok 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Result | The generated image had all the elements mentioned in the list and in the same order as they were mentioned. The model adheres to the prompt so well. The image took its time but the results are amazing! What’s interesting is, behind the final image; the model did create 5 versions at the backend and what it gave us was the best of those 5. So model is also evaluating its images on its own and providing us with the best one! | The generated image has everything we asked for and clarity that has never been seen before! Just like GPT 4o, the model generated in the order that was mentioned in the prompt and all it took was hardly 2 seconds! The speed and the quality of image generation by Gemini 2.5 Pro is truly impressive. | The model generated an image that matched the prompt’s theme but missed quite a few elements. It repeated “star”, “cat” and “bow tie” but missed several others like pair of eyes, circle, square, and more. It generated the output quickly but the generated image is a miss. |
Both GPT 4o and Gemini 2.5 Pro generated amazing images. Both the images had all the elements and in the order that was mentioned in the prompt. While GPT 4o took time to generate the images; it was Gemini 2.5 Pro that got the quality and speed.
Verdict
For this task Gemini 2.5 Pro is the winner. GPT 4o comes second while Grok 3 takes up third place.
Task 3: In Context Learning
Prompt 1: “A photorealistic image of a blue chainsaw”
Prompt 2: “Make an ad for this chainsaw, of a grandma carving the turkey at the Thanksgiving dinner table. add a tagline”
Output by GPT 4o
Output by Gemini 2.5 Pro
Output by Grok 3
Review
| Model | GPT-4o | Gemini 2.5 Pro | Grok 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Result | The first image was pretty straightforward, yet the model took its sweet time to generate it. The second image although was in context with the first and GPT 4o did a great job with it. The caption it added was sensible and written correctly. Some minor details like the eyes of people in the image and fingers in some places were crooked. Like the last time, the model generated 4 images in the backend and gave us the best out of those 4. | The images generated by Gemini 2.5 Pro were good. The first one came out as expected but the second one had issues. While the details in the image were well captured. The hands and the eyes were immaculate, there were some factual and technical errors like knife cutting a chainsaw. But as always the model generated the images really quickly and with a detailed prompt might have given us an even better image. | Grok 3 generated the first image really well. In the second image, while the quality of the image was good; with details like hands and eyes managed well. The model failed to incorporate the caption in the image. But what was great about the image was the choice we got and the speed at which the model generated the output. |
All the models generated the first image really well although GPT 4o took more time than was required. In the second image; all the models had some issues. But in all three I liked GPT 4o’s result the best because of the quality of the output and how closely it resonated with the essence of the prompt.
Verdict
For this task GPT 4o is the winner. Grok 3 comes second while Gemini 2.5 Pro takes up third place.
GPT 4o vs Gemini 2.5 Pro vs Grok 3: Final Winner
| Task | GPT-4o | Gemini 2.5 Pro | Grok 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Text Rendering | 🥇 | 🥈 | 🥉 |
| Instruction Following | 🥈 | 🥇 | 🥉 |
| In-Context Learning | 🥇 | 🥉 | 🥈 |
Overall Analysis
| Feature | GPT-4o | Gemini 2.5 Pro | Grok 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image Quality | Best (photorealistic, precise) | Good (fast but less accurate) | Decent (creative but inconsistent) |
| Speed | Slow (prioritizes quality) | Fastest | Fast |
| Text Rendering | Flawless text in images | Sometimes incorrect | Often misses text |
| Editing | Conversational refinement | Multi-turn edits | Reimagines uploaded images |
| Creative Freedom | Moderate (follows prompts) | Moderate | Highest (fewer filters) |
| Context Awareness | Best (understands nuance) | Good | Struggles with complexity |
| Access | Free + paid (ChatGPT) | Free (Google AI Studio) | Free (X/Grok.com) |
| Restrictions | Moderate (avoids sensitive content) | Strict (Google’s safety filters) | Minimal (most permissive) |
| Best For | Professional/accurate work | Quick iterations | Experimental/artistic use |
GPT 4o: is a game-changer in the world of image generation and it stood out against Gemini 2.0 Flash Image Generation (Experimental) and Grok 3.
- The model takes time to generate images which can be a bummer at times. However, a key feature of the model is that it evaluates its results.
- In the background; it works with several images at once (based on the complexity of the task) and generates the best of those versions – this kind of self-evaluation and awareness has never been seen before.
Gemini 2.5 Pro: Known for its speed and ability to quickly generate and refine images, it excels in conversational editing.
- It follows the instructions really well but can do a little better with text. The model generates the first draft really well and required just an elaborate prompts to generate better responses. Also, with multiple prompts you can get any type of results from the model.
Grok 3: Offers rapid image generation with a focus on creative freedom and real-time adjustments.
- While it shines in creative iterations, it struggles with accuracy and can miss important details, making it less reliable for tasks that demand detailed and structured image creation.
Also Read: OpenAI’s 4o Image Generation is SUPER COOL
Conclusion
The rapid advancements in multimodal AI models have opened new possibilities for image generation and editing, with GPT-4o, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Grok 3 each bringing unique strengths to the table. While GPT-4o sets a high standard for precision, context-awareness, and quality; it does so at the cost of speed. On the other hand, Gemini 2.5 Pro prioritizes quick results and conversational editing. Meanwhile, Grok 3 emphasizes creative freedom and fast iterations but struggles with accuracy and structured tasks.
For now, the “best” model ultimately depends on individual needs—whether it’s GPT-4o’s unparalleled accuracy, Gemini 2.5 Pro’s agility, or Grok 3’s imaginative flexibility. The future of AI-driven visuals is bright, with endless potential for innovation across industries and creative fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Which AI model produces the highest quality images?
A. GPT-4o currently delivers the most precise and contextually accurate image generation, though it processes requests more slowly than competitors.
Q2. Which model generates images the fastest?
A. Gemini 2.0 Flash offers the quickest image generation, making it ideal for rapid iterations, though sometimes at the cost of accuracy.
Q3. Which platform provides the most creative freedom?
A. Grok 3 imposes fewer content restrictions than GPT-4o or Gemini, enabling more experimental outputs, but struggles with detailed instructions.
Q4. Do these models support image editing?
A. All three support some image editing: GPT-4o and Gemini allow conversational refinements, while Grok 3 can reimagine uploaded images.
Q5. Which handles text rendering in images best?
A. GPT-4o excels at accurately incorporating text into images, while Gemini sometimes renders incorrectly and Grok often omits text entirely.
Q6. Are these image generation features free to use?
A. Currently all three offer free access: GPT-4o (with usage limits), Gemini (in experimental phase), and Grok (for X/Twitter users).
Q7. What are each model’s main limitations?
A. GPT-4o is slow, Gemini can be inconsistent with complex prompts, and Grok prioritizes creativity over precision in structured tasks.
Anu Madan is an expert in instructional design, content writing, and B2B marketing, with a talent for transforming complex ideas into impactful narratives. With her focus on Generative AI, she crafts insightful, innovative content that educates, inspires, and drives meaningful engagement.
