After OpenAI launched a new feature called Intelligent UI, ChatGPT is set to become more visual. The new interface, rolling out starting Wednesday alongside the new GPT-6 model, will incorporate rich visual elements into user conversations.
OpenAI says many of these visual elements will be interactive. In other words, chatbots will no longer just display flat, cartoon-style images; instead, they will frequently include clickable buttons, calculators tailored for specific tasks, interactive charts, editable graphics, and other elements users can interact with directly.
OpenAI stated that the primary goal of this feature is to make "learning complex topics easier." It may also make ChatGPT more friendly and user-friendly, helping to attract a broader audience, though OpenAI did not say this directly.
During a phone call with journalists, OpenAI employees briefly demonstrated the capabilities of the Intelligent UI, showing how the new chatbot can instantly generate various charts and visual content to help users understand more abstract topics.
Company product manager Aarush Selvan said that although "ChatGPT has primarily been a text-based interface," the company truly wants to help users "get things done—from planning meals or trips to trying to learn something—where the most helpful answers aren't just text."
Selvan uses the example of a college student wanting to understand how airplane wings work. He asks ChatGPT to "explore how airplane wings generate lift," and the chatbot quickly generates multiple diagrams illustrating how airplanes stay airborne.
Other examples provided by the company include visual recipes, diagrams explaining bicycle mechanics, maps for multi-day hiking trips, and personal savings calculators.
This new feature is also customizable. Like other personalization settings in ChatGPT, users who prefer fewer visual elements in responses can lower the intensity. Intelligent UI will be rolled out globally to Pro, Plus, Business, and Enterprise users with GPT-6, while free users and those on the lower-cost Go tier will gain access on Thursday.