AI chatbots tend to answer many of your questions using plain, old, boring text. But often a picture is worth more than just words — and if that picture is interactive, even better. That’s exactly what ChatGPT can now deliver to you courtesy of its latest GPT-6 model.
Following its September debut , GPT-6 — split into Sol, for paid users, and Luna, for free users — is now accessible to all ChatGPT users and aims to provide a more visual spark to its responses. Instead of relying just on text, the new model will supplement many answers with illustrations, forms, charts, and other types of graphics. Even more helpful, you can interact with those images by clicking buttons, opening menus, and changing data.
Also: ChatGPT Plus vs. Google AI Pro: Same $20 price, very different perks More from ZDNET “GPT‐6 in ChatGPT introduces Intelligent UI, a new capability that allows ChatGPT to answer quickly with fully interactive user interfaces that make everyday answers more visual,” OpenAI said in the announcement. “We’ve trained GPT‐6 to compose responses using text, visuals, and interactive elements, choosing how they fit together based on your question.” You can tap into the new UI via the ChatGPT website and the desktop and mobile apps.
For one example, you could ask ChatGPT to not only find a recipe for a dish you wish to cook, but also create an interactive chart to help you plan the meal. You’d be able to change the number of guests to determine the quantity of ingredients to buy and how much to use in your preparation. As always, any requests you submit are synced across the board, so you’ll be able to access them on the website and in any of the apps.
GPT-6 is now the default model for paid and free ChatGPT users alike, so you don’t have to manually select it. ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise users get GPT‐6 Sol, while those with free or Go accounts get GPT‐6 Luna. Also: Use ChatGPT Plus?
Switching to Gemini could cut your bill – by $144 a year for me Both Sol and Luna are adept at answering general, everyday questions, but Sol is designed to tackle complex and multi-step tasks. Paid subscribers can also choose between Instant, Medium, and High levels when using GPT-6. Instant is designed for quick answers, Medium for more detailed responses, and High for more complex and challenging assignments.
Medium should suffice for most tasks, but you can always change the level based on your needs. 1. Explain and illustrate the iPhone 18 Pro’s aperture control To start off, I wanted ChatGPT to not just explain but visually illustrate the aperture control setting on my iPhone 18 Pro. I told it to “Explain and illustrate the new aperture control on the iPhone 18 Pro with an interactive visual.” In response, the AI provided a concise explanation and steps on how to use the setting on the iPhone.
ChatGPT also used text and photos to show me when I could use each of the available F-stops. But the other visuals were the most helpful part of the answer. With the interactive image, I was able to click through the different F-stops on the phone to see how the background would change focus and the iris would get larger or smaller.
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 2. Create an interactive bill splitter You’re dining at a restaurant with several other people when the check arrives. Assuming no one person is paying the entire bill, you need to figure out how much each individual owes.
This was my second challenge to ChatGPT for the next time my wife and I are dining out with family or friends. Here, I told it to create an interactive clipboard for a restaurant bill splitter. Also: How to use ChatGPT Work – and my top 10 tips for getting started with agentic AI The first attempt gave me an interactive tool that worked perfectly.
I could change all the values, including the overall cost of the meal, sales tax, number of diners, and tip. In return, the tool would show me the cost per person. But I wanted something more visually appealing, so I asked ChatGPT to try again.
The second attempt kept the same interactivity but designed the tool as a virtual clipboard with different colors and a jazzier layout. With the ChatGPT mobile app on my iPhone, I can now use this tool anytime I’m eating out. Screenshot by Lance Whitney Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 3.
Design an interactive chart for a meal recipe One of my specialties in the kitchen is spaghetti and meatballs based on a recipe from the famous Italian restaurant Rao’s in Manhattan. I cook the meatballs and the sauce from scratch. With the holiday season coming up, I’m planning to prepare this dish for guests, but don’t yet know how many people will be dining with us.
No problem: I asked ChatGPT to find the recipes online and create an interactive chart showing me how much to prepare for four to eight guests. The AI answered by showing me the recipes for the meatballs and sauce along with step-by-step instructions for preparing everything. For the interactive element, the chart displayed two separate columns — one for the shopping list and another for the meal prep.
I could change the number of guests to any number from four to eight, and the chart would update to show the correct amounts. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 4. Develop an interactive room designer My wife and I are thinking of redoing our living room.
But deciding what we want, figuring out what furniture we need and where to place it, and what color to paint the walls can be challenging, so I asked ChatGPT to create an interactive room designer. Here, the AI cooked up an interactive floor plan with adjustable dimensions, furniture, and a palette of different paint colors. I could add, remove, and change the position of each piece of furniture, as well as modify the size of each piece.
I could also choose the paint for the wall by either picking one of the predefined colors or selecting a custom color from a color bar. The end result will help us better determine how to revamp the room. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET 5.
Build an interactive timeline of American history I’m a big history buff, especially when it comes to American history. For the fifth task, I asked ChatGPT to build an interactive timeline of American history. I gave it a specific timeline from 1620 to the present.
I wanted to be able to drag a date slider to view different moments in history with the corresponding events or activities being displayed. Also: How I used ChatGPT to talk me through fixing a corrupted gaming PC – literally Here, ChatGPT delivered an effective and useful timeline from 1620 to the present. I could move the slider box to jump from one year to the next or select a specific category such as Colonial, Civil War, or World Wars.
In response, the tool would show me the prominent events for that particular year. I could also explore the events by topics including politics and science, and view historical milestones. I asked ChatGPT to provide sources for information that appeared in the timeline, which it did, so I could verify certain events.
I wasn’t as worried about that for major historical events that are common knowledge, like the stock market crash of 1929 or the Pilgrims’ arrival in 1620, but you should always double-check the accuracy of any information chatbots give you. Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET Overall, ChatGPT did a solid job of providing the interactive images and tools that I requested. With GPT-6, I can now use the AI to help me visually learn, understand, and work with any topic or area that comes to mind.
Source: ZDNET
