Once limited to generating short blog posts or social media captions, AI tools have evolved into powerhouse engines capable of handling highly complex creative tasks. People are now using AI not just to brainstorm but to build and craft everything from websites to mobile apps. Even game developers now use some of these tools to streamline their processes and accelerate their workflows. Speaking of games, you can check out the Vortex login game and other exciting titles in your free time.
However, the AI aspect currently getting the most hype is perhaps visual generation. With just a few lines of text, creators can now produce vivid, studio-quality visuals in seconds, be it for branding, storytelling, advertising, or digital experiences. This is a game-changer for designers, marketers, and artists alike.
Notably, the quality of the visuals you generate largely depends on the AI tool you’re using. So, in this article, we highlight five of the best AI image generators that are absolutely worth trying. Let’s dive right in!
Midjourney
Midjourney is an AI image generator that creates pictures from text prompts. Launched in July 2022, the tool has grown significantly both in image quality and user experience. As of now, Midjourney is running on version 6.1, which delivers more realistic images and better understands complex instructions compared to its earlier versions.
Midjourney is currently only available on Discord. So, if you don’t already have a Discord account, your first step is to create one. Once that’s done, you can either sign up on the Mid Journey website using your Discord login or head straight to its Discord server.
Inside the server, you’ll need to go to one of the “newbie” or “general” chat rooms and type your prompt using the “imagine” command. The AI will then generate four image options based on your input. From there, you can upscale (enhance) one of the images, create variations, or use features like “pan” to expand the image in different directions. The results typically show up in under 60 seconds in Fast mode, but they can take around five minutes in Relax mode, especially on lower-tier plans.
As for pricing, Midjourney doesn’t have a free plan. It offers a basic plan that goes for $10/month, a standard plan for $30/month, a pro plan for $60/month, and a mega plan for $120/month.
Image FX
ImageFX is Google’s free text-to-image AI tool. It’s powered by Imagen 3, Google’s most advanced image generation model, and is available through the company’s experimental platform called AI Test Kitchen. The tool was quietly rolled out as part of Google Labs and represents a big leap from earlier versions, especially in terms of prompt accuracy and visual quality.
To use Image FX, all you need is a standard Google account. Just head over to the Labs page or search “Image FX” and sign in to access it. Once you’re in, you enter a text prompt, and ImageFX processes it, often suggesting style tweaks through something called “expressive chips”, before generating a visual output. The results usually arrive in 10 to 20 seconds.
ImageFX generates one image at a time, which is square by default. It allows you to select different visual styles like “photorealistic,” “watercolor,” or “painting.” The best part is that the tool is free, and there’s also no limit to the number of images you can generate.
Stable Diffusion
Stable Diffusion was first launched in 2022. Since then, the model has gone through several improvements, with the most advanced version now being Stable Image Ultra, which powers tools like Stable Assistant and DreamStudio.
You can use Stable Diffusion via different platforms, but the two easiest options are Stable Assistant and DreamStudio. When you enter a prompt on Stable Assistant, you need to choose an aspect ratio and submit. It generates one image per request in around 30 to 60 seconds. DreamStudio, on the other hand, can produce up to four images at once.
One impressive thing about Stable Diffusion is its editing tools. You can add, remove, or recolor parts of an image, generate variations, upscale resolutions, and even convert your image into a 3D model or base it for a video.
As for access, Stable Diffusion has both free and paid options. You can use the tool for free with limited credits on DreamStudio, or buy credit packs and subscribe for additional features and higher generation limits. Pricing is usage-based, so you pay depending on how many images you want to generate and at what resolution.
Adobe Firefly
Adobe Firefly is a text-to-image AI generator built by Adobe, the company best known for Photoshop and Illustrator. Its latest model is the Firefly Image 2, which powers both the web-based generator and tools within Creative Cloud apps like Photoshop.
To use Firefly, you start by typing your prompt and then fine-tune the look using on-screen tools like style filters, lighting, aspect ratio, camera angle, and intensity sliders. You’ll get four images at once, and it usually takes about 10 seconds to generate results. Once your image is ready, you can use Generative Fill to swap out elements or use your own image as a reference to guide structure or style.
Firefly is accessible through Adobe’s website or via Creative Cloud, and you can use it for free with 25 monthly credits. For advanced usage, Adobe offers several paid options. $4.99/month gets you 100 credits, while higher-tier plans like the Photoshop $21/month plan or the Creative Cloud All Apps $55/month plan offer up to 500 to 1,000 generations monthly, along with access to Adobe’s full suite of design tools.
DALL-E
DALL·E was first launched in January 2021, and the current version, DALL·E 3, was released in October 2023. The tool is available directly within ChatGPT for users subscribed to the ChatGPT Plus plan.
Using DALL·E is as easy as chatting with a friend. Each prompt produces one image at a time, and you can ask for changes conversationally. For example, you can simply tell it to make an image wider, remove or add something to an image, and so on. The image generation time is around 20 to 30 seconds.
As mentioned, DALL·E 3 is only available through ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20/month. This also includes access to GPT-4, the GPT Store, and additional AI tools.
Conclusion
AI image generators have opened up exciting new possibilities for artists, content creators, and just about anyone with a creative vision. The tools listed in this article offer powerful capabilities to bring your ideas to life, and some of them offer free or low-cost access. So, start leveraging them for a streamlined workflow and better visual content.
