While working with the DALL·E model via the ChatGPT API to generate dynamic images for our product, we ran into a couple of technical roadblocks — the kind that look small at first but can become real bottlenecks.
PNG Only Output The API only returns images in PNG format, which meant no direct JPEG support out of the box. And as we know, PNGs are great for quality… but not when you’re trying to keep things light and fast.
Heavy File Sizes The images we got were 5MB to 10MB each — way too heavy for our frontend needs, especially for mobile and low-bandwidth users.
In a real-world scenario where performance, loading time, and bandwidth matter, this was a deal-breaker.
How We Solved It — A Simple Yet Impactful Fix
We took a clean and practical approach:
After receiving the PNG from the API, we ran it through a quick conversion to JPEG (using a backend script).
Result? A reduction in size from ~8MB to under 1MB — without a major compromise in image quality. These JPEGs are now faster to load, easier to cache, and friendlier for web delivery.
This lightweight change had a big performance impact, especially in image-heavy sections of our product.
Key Takeaways
- Not all models return the most deployable assets. Sometimes you need to post-process.
- Optimization isn’t always complex — even a simple image conversion can significantly improve your app’s speed.
- Bandwidth, UX, and SEO all benefit from smaller, smarter images.
A reminder that tech excellence often lies in the little tweaks.
Tech Stack Used:
- OpenAI ChatGPT API + DALL·E
- Python / PHP for format conversion
- AWS S3 for optimized image delivery
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