> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://pydantic.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

## Querying This Documentation

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---

# Image Generation

The [`ImageGeneration`](/docs/ai/api/pydantic-ai/capabilities/#pydantic_ai.capabilities.ImageGeneration) [capability](/docs/ai/capabilities/overview/) lets your agent generate images. Like all [provider-adaptive tools](/docs/ai/capabilities/overview/#provider-adaptive-tools), it uses the provider's native image generation when available, with an optional subagent fallback for other models.

[`ImageGeneration`](/docs/ai/api/pydantic-ai/capabilities/#pydantic_ai.capabilities.ImageGeneration) defaults to native-only. Backed by [`ImageGenerationTool`](/docs/ai/api/pydantic-ai/native_tools/#pydantic_ai.native_tools.ImageGenerationTool) on the native side (see [Image Generation Tool](/docs/ai/tools-toolsets/native-tools/#image-generation-tool) for provider support and configuration) -- pass `native=ImageGenerationTool(...)` directly for full control.

For the local side, pass `fallback_model='...'` to delegate unsupported requests to a subagent running an image-generation-capable model (e.g. `openai-responses:gpt-5.4`), or `local=` with any callable, [`Tool`](/docs/ai/api/pydantic-ai/tools/#pydantic_ai.tools.Tool), or [`AbstractToolset`](/docs/ai/api/pydantic-ai/toolsets/#pydantic_ai.toolsets.AbstractToolset) for a custom generator.

image\_generation.py

```python
from pydantic_ai.capabilities import ImageGeneration

# Native-only -- raises on models without native image generation
ImageGeneration()

# Native preferred; subagent fallback for unsupported models
ImageGeneration(fallback_model='openai-responses:gpt-5.4')

# Native preferred; custom callable as fallback
def my_generator(prompt: str) -> bytes: ...
ImageGeneration(local=my_generator)
```

Durable execution with Temporal

Generated images have to cross Temporal's activity boundary, where the payload size limit leaves roughly 1.5MB for raw image bytes. A larger image fails with a `UserError` -- naming the tool when it came from a local generator (the subagent fallback or your own `local=` callable or toolset), or naming the model when the native tool put it on the response. See [Large Payloads](/docs/ai/capabilities/durable_execution/temporal/#large-payloads) for the options.