Key Points
- OpenAI limits free Sora video generation to six videos per day.
- Bill Peebles cited GPU strain and the goal of broad accessibility.
- ChatGPT Plus and Pro accounts are exempt from the new video cap.
- Google’s nano banana pro now allows two free images or edits per day.
- The previous free image limit for nano banana pro was three per day.
- Free users of the older nano banana tool could generate up to 100 images daily.
- Both companies say limits apply only to free tiers; paid plans retain higher limits.
- Google did not immediately comment on the changes.
OpenAI’s Sora Video Generator Faces New Caps
OpenAI’s head of the Sora project, Bill Peebles, posted on X that the company is seeing a surge in demand for its AI video generation tool. To prevent GPU overload and to keep the service as broadly available as possible, OpenAI is limiting free users to six videos per day. Peebles emphasized that the limitation is intended to protect the infrastructure while allowing anyone to purchase additional generations if needed. The restriction applies only to the free tier; users with ChatGPT Plus or Pro accounts will not experience any change in their usage limits.
Google’s Nano Banana Pro Image Generator Reduces Daily Access
Google’s image generation service, marketed under the name nano banana pro and built on the Gemini platform, is also tightening its free‑tier limits. According to a Gemini support page, users without a Google AI plan can now generate or edit only two images per day, a reduction from the previous allowance of three. The support page notes that daily limits for basic access may change frequently. The earlier version of the tool, nano banana (the non‑pro variant), allowed up to 100 free images per day, but that figure is not mentioned for the current pro offering. A Google representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Impact on Users and the Wider AI Landscape
Both OpenAI and Google are taking steps to manage the heavy computational load that AI‑generated video and image content places on their data centers. By imposing stricter caps on free usage, the companies aim to balance accessibility with the practical limits of GPU capacity. While paid users retain broader access, free users will need to plan their creations more carefully or consider purchasing additional generations. The moves highlight the rapid growth in consumer interest for AI‑generated media, as well as the challenges providers face in scaling infrastructure to meet that demand.
Source: cnet.com