The AI Image Generator attracted a lot of attention when the first powerful diffusion models were announced in 2022 and 2023. Now, AI video generation, backed by well-known releases like Openai’s Sora, has become a hot topic.
“I think a lot of tools are looking at the direction in which AI content is being created, and trying to diversify (to the video) and stay up to date,” says Ross Symons, co-founder of creative AI company Zenrobot. “But I think it’s dominated by tools like the mid-journey that stick to what they’re good at.”
Therefore, there is still a lot of interest in AI image generation. Most modern AI image generators continue to use diffusion models. This type of AI model is trained by teaching neural networks to predict random noise gradually added to the image. Once the training is complete, you can reverse the process and create a unique image from the random noise. The spreading model is then paired with the text model and transforms the user’s text prompt into a token that guides the results of the spreading model.
The diffusion model has been improving since 2022, but has not changed radically. Over the past year, Spotlight has moved from the model itself to a software tool for power. Today, the best AI image generators offer quick, easy to use, and a way to provide more control over image generation.
https://www.midjourney.com/home
Midjourney is a clear favorite of professional image Generation.midjourney
While literally dozens of image generators are available, Midjourney is a clear front runner.
“The mid-journey is a very important tool for us,” says Chrissie Cremers, co-founder of Aigency Amsterdam. “It’s still good in the direction of art,” Simmons agrees, saying he uses “mainly” mid-journey.
Released in 2022, Midjourney quickly gained a reputation for its enchanting images with powerful artistic style details. They tend to produce images with vibrant, bold colors and dramatic appearances that will catch the attention of the viewer. Midjourney’s spreading model is unique and is only available with subscriptions to its prestigious online service.
Creative experts like Midjourney’s user interface are a bit ironic given the origins of the tool. This model was initially available only through a Discord chatbot connected to a slapped user authentication system. But it changed rapidly, and Midjourney now offers a beautiful web interface that is different from its peers.
Flux, the most important new model released in 2024, can support image editing tools.
Midjourney still supports it among AI-powered creatives, but in 2024 one major diffusion model was released that satisfies different roles: flux was seen. The model was created by Black Forest Labs is a company founded by three former employees of Stability AI (the company behind Stable Diffusion).
Simmons cited Flux as the most notable new image generation model in 2024. “From a realism perspective, that’s surprising,” he said. Creamer agreed, “It’s very suitable for a much more light than a mid-journey.” Flux also offers powerful “In-Paint and Out-Paint” tools. This allows the model to edit the image by removing or extending the image beyond its original range.
In contrast to Midjourney, the Flux is an open model. This means that anyone can get, use, and tweak it for free. It can be installed locally to generate images on powerful home and office computers.
https://leonardo.ai/
Leonardo.ai has opened its niche by targeting creative professionals with specific needs.
Founded in 2022, Leonardo.ai has moved quickly to establish itself as a key option for individuals and businesses seeking professional image generation.
The company released its first in-house foundation model, Phoenix, in 2024, but it focuses primarily on creating tools that use existing generative models in new ways. Leonardo.ai also offers fluxes, making it one of the better options for those who can’t perform fluxes on their own hardware.
“I think that’s good if you’re generating characters that are drawn in fantasy spaces or falling into 3D because of the consistency of the characters,” Simmons said. This is achieved by supporting low rank adaptation (LORA). This allows users to tailor their spreading models to meet their needs.
https://openai.com/index/dall-e/
Dall-E 3 is now available in Openai’s ChatGPT, and features an image editing tool to add or remove objects from the generated image.
Openai’s Dall-E was one of the first image generators to create a headline. However, in 2024 it was covered by Sora’s Hype, Openai’s video generation tool, which was finally released in December.
Nonetheless, Dall-E is one of the more prominent tools, especially for amateur use. Dall-E, part of ChatGpt, quickly generates passable images. The April 2024 update also added image editing to help users delete or modify certain areas of images generated by Dall-E.
https://labs.google/fx/tools/image-fx
It’s just an “experiment”, but Google’s ImageFX generates detailed images with excellent realism. google
Google Labs, the company’s “AI Experiment” home, includes an image generator called ImageFX. Compared to the other tools on this list, it’s not widely advertised and has a bit of a bare bone, but ImageFX has gained a reputation for knowing among AI Creative.
“It’s a bit of a dark horse. It’s not talked about, but it’s a good tool. It’s free, you can generate four images at a time, and the images are of very good quality,” Simmons said.
ImageFX has a simple interface that prompts users to enter short prompts. It also provides a list of keywords that guide the user’s prompts into text that the model can easily understand. This approach allows you to easily generate detailed images with a specific style of feel. ImageFX is also completely free. This is a plus for more casual users.
The best of the rest
The image generator above stole the show in 2024, but it’s not just a tool worth paying attention to. Magnifing has a reputation for excellent image-up scaling. Krea.ai offers an attractive interface for third-party models, including flux.
Creative experts don’t seem to be too enthusiastic about image generators for established companies. Getty Images, Shutterstock, and Adobe have generative AI services, but there are talks surrounding leaders like Midjourney and Flux. Creamers condemn the images used for training. “We tend to train on many stock images and it’s reflected in the results.”
It seems that 2025 will likely be a repeat of 2024. Video generation continues to shine the spotlight as several companies, especially Google, have not yet released the models they are expected to see. Still, Simmons believes that as creative experts become more familiar with the tools, he will continue to find new ways to use image generators.
“I wish people would understand more about AI’s capabilities. There are things you can and can’t,” Simmons said.
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