ai/docs/09-troubleshooting/70-high-memory-usage-with-images.mdx

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---
title: High memory usage when processing many images
description: Troubleshooting high memory usage when using generateText or streamText with many images
---

# High memory usage when processing many images

## Issue

When using `generateText` or `streamText` with many images (e.g., in a loop or batch processing), you may notice:

- Memory usage grows continuously and doesn't decrease
- Application eventually runs out of memory
- Memory is not reclaimed even after garbage collection

This is especially noticeable when using `experimental_download` to process images from URLs, or when sending base64-encoded images in prompts.

## Background

When enabled with the `include` option, the AI SDK includes the full request messages plus request and response bodies in the step results. When processing images, the request messages and request body can contain base64-encoded image data, which can be very large (a single image can be 1MB+ when base64 encoded). If you process many images and keep references to the results, this data accumulates in memory.

For example, processing 100 images of 500KB each would include ~50MB+ of request body data in memory.

## Solution

Use the `include` option to disable inclusion of request messages and/or request and response bodies:

```ts
import { generateText } from 'ai';
import { openai } from '@ai-sdk/openai';

const result = await generateText({
  model: openai('gpt-6-astra'),
  messages: [
    {
      role: 'user',
      content: [
        { type: 'text', text: 'Describe this image' },
        { type: 'file', mediaType: 'image', data: imageUrl },
      ],
    },
  ],
  // Request and response bodies are excluded by default.
  include: {
    requestBody: false,
    responseBody: false,
  },
});
```

### Options

The `include` option accepts:

- `requestBody`: Set to `true` to include the request body in step results. The request body is where base64-encoded images are often stored. Default: `false`. Available in both `generateText` and `streamText`.
- `requestMessages`: Set to `true` to include the request messages in step results. The request messages can contain large message content such as images and files. Default: `false`. Available in both `generateText` and `streamText`.
- `rawChunks`: Set to `true` to include raw provider chunks in the stream. Default: `false`. Only available in `streamText`.
- `responseBody`: Set to `true` to include the response body in step results. Default: `false`. Only available in `generateText`.

### When to use

- **Batch processing images**: When processing many images in a loop
- **Long-running agents**: When an agent may process many images over its lifetime
- **Memory-constrained environments**: When running in environments with limited memory

### Trade-offs

When you disable body inclusion:

- You won't have access to `result.request.body` or `result.response.body`
- You won't have access to `result.request.messages` unless `requestMessages` is enabled
- Debugging may be harder since you can't inspect the raw request/response
- If you need the bodies for logging or debugging, consider extracting the data you need before the next iteration

## Example: Processing multiple images

```ts
import { generateText } from 'ai';
import { openai } from '@ai-sdk/openai';

const imageUrls = [
  /* array of image URLs */
];
const results = [];

for (const imageUrl of imageUrls) {
  const result = await generateText({
    model: openai('gpt-6-astra'),
    messages: [
      {
        role: 'user',
        content: [
          { type: 'text', text: 'Describe this image' },
          { type: 'file', mediaType: 'image', data: imageUrl },
        ],
      },
    ],
    include: {
      requestBody: false,
    },
  });

  // Only store the text result, not the full result object
  results.push(result.text);
}
```

## Learn more

- [`generateText` API Reference](/docs/reference/ai-sdk-core/generate-text)
- [`streamText` API Reference](/docs/reference/ai-sdk-core/stream-text)