OpenAI Leaks Three Unannounced 'Aurora' Image Models in API Test

OpenAI has inadvertently exposed three new image generation models in its API, sparking speculation about the imminent release of a next-generation image model. The three model identifiers—aurora-red-alpha, aurora-green-alpha, and aurora-blue-alpha—appeared briefly in OpenAI's API on October 17, 2026, before being quickly removed. Within hours of discovery, the models turned up in blind image generation tests on Arena, suggesting they were already wired for evaluation.