GPT Image 2.5 with OpenClaw

Verified September 9, 2026 against the OpenAI Sunburst documentation, Flare documentation and OpenRouter image catalog.

Sunburst or Flare?

Both accept text and image inputs. The image model is separate from your agent’s chat model: select it in Image, rather than the text model menu.

Option 1: Use OpenRouter credits

1. Open an OpenClaw instance on the dashboard.
2. Open the Image model menu and select OpenRouter.
3. Choose GPT Image 2.5 Flare (Low) for an initial draft, or a Sunburst tier. Low, Medium and High are separate choices for each model.
4. Use your available OpenRouter balance, or add your own OpenRouter key on the API keys page.
5. Ask your bot: “Create a square launch poster for a fictional plant shop called Fern. Use cream and forest green, with the headline ‘Room to Grow’.”

The proxy uses OpenRouter’s dedicated Images API. Pasting a bare 2.5 ID into an OpenRouter chat model field will not configure this route. Your selected quality is fixed by the tier, so asking for “max quality” in a prompt does not change a Low selection.

Option 2: Bring your OpenAI API key

1. Create a key in the OpenAI API dashboard with API billing and access to the image model.
2. Save it under OpenAI on the API keys page.
3. In your OpenClaw instance’s Image menu, open OpenAI · Your key and choose Sunburst or Flare.
4. Generate one small draft before a larger batch. This route bills your OpenAI account.

If the app reports an Agnes video conflict, choose another video model or use the OpenRouter image route. These direct OpenAI images share a provider slot with Agnes video in the current runtime.

Pricing and quality

Both models list $5 per million text input tokens, $8 per million image input tokens and $30 per million image output tokens. Actual cost depends on the request; an edit also includes its reference images. The picker shows “Variable”; hover over it to see the token rates. A fixed per-image estimate is not yet confirmed. See the linked model pages for current rates.

Do not carry over GPT Image 2 per-image estimates: OpenAI explicitly says its older calculator does not estimate 2.5 token use. Start at Low and increase quality when the result needs it. The API supports additional quality levels, but the OpenRouter picker currently offers Low, Medium and High.

Editing and current limits

For an edit, attach a reference and describe what should stay: “Keep the product shape, label and camera angle. Replace only the background with a warm studio wall.” Use direct OpenAI for reference edits on older OpenClaw runtimes; OpenRouter reference edits require a runtime that sends multipart image uploads.

Our OpenRouter proxy forwards aspect ratio, up to four outputs and up to five reference images. It does not expose every upstream control, including exact pixel dimensions or transparent backgrounds. Direct API capabilities are described in the OpenAI image generation guide.

If access fails, check API billing, model permissions and any required OpenAI organization verification. If generation is slow, wait for the current task before submitting it again. A provider listing establishes availability; account access and successful generation still depend on the provider.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Image generation and editing with your bot
• Manage provider API keys
• The earlier GPT-5.4 Image 2 route