What is the best AI image generator overall?
Google’s ImageFX dethroned Microsoft Designer’s Image Generator as the best overall AI image generator because it generates the highest-quality, most realistic renditions for free. Google has been a dark horse in the AI space, so the company beating more well-established contenders surprised me.
ImageFX combines accuracy, speed, and cost-effectiveness and can generate images in seconds. A major plus is that the generator is easy to use for beginners and has unique features like expressive chips.
The best AI art generators of 2024
Imagen 3 in ImageFX
Google was an underdog in the image generator space, releasing its own AI generator, ImageFX, months after its competitors. The wait was worth it. ImageFX, powered by Imagen 3, can produce high-quality, realistic outputs, even of objects that are difficult to render, such as hands.
ImageFX is a standalone experience, and it’s easy to use. All you have to do is sign in to your Google account, type in a prompt, and let it do the magic for you. You can also take advantage of cool features such as “expressive chips,” which allow you to swap out elements of your prompts for more generations.
Midjourney
Best AI image generator for highest quality photos
I often play around with AI image generators because they make it fun and easy to create digital artwork. Despite my experiences with different AI generators, nothing could have prepared me for Midjourney.
The output of the images was so crystal clear that I had a hard time believing they weren’t photos that someone had taken — the software has even produced award-winning art.
Adobe Firefly
Best AI Image Generator if you have a reference photo
Adobe has been a leader in developing tools for creative and working professionals for decades. As a result, it’s not surprising that its image generator is impressive.
Accessing the generator is easy: Visit the website and type a prompt for the image you’d like generated. As you can see above, the rendered image of the hummingbird has impressive detail and is so high-quality it looks like a photo.
Conclusion
Many AI image generators on the market shine in terms of speed, quality, and affordability. That said, there isn’t much more I’d like to see from image generators that could significantly improve the offerings. Furthermore, the future of AI image generators isn’t about updating current offerings, but rather moving from one-dimensional to three-dimensional renditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free image generator?
Google’s ImageFX is the best AI image generator because it produces the highest-quality, most realistic image for free. The photo quality even exceeds that of OpenAI’s latest model, DALL-E 3. When accessing DALL-E 3 from OpenAI’s services, you need to pay for unlimited access. Otherwise, you’re limited to two generations per day.
How do you fix a poorly generated image?
You can fix a poorly generated image by readjusting your prompt to fix the element of the image you are having trouble with. For example, if you say, “Generate an image of the beach,” and are disappointed at the way the ocean looks, you can input another prompt that says, “Generate an image of a beach with crystal blue, shallow water.” The more specific you get, the better your result will be.
Are there ethical implications with AI image generators?
AI image generators are trained on billions of images from across the internet. These images are often artworks belonging to specific artists, which an AI tool repurposes to generate your image. Although the output is different, the new image has elements of the artist’s original work that are not credited to them.
Are AI-generated images copyrighted?
Whether an AI-generated image is copyrighted depends on the terms of the generator you are using. The copyright policies also vary between subscription tiers. The best way to proceed is not to assume and to double-check before you use or publish a generated image.
How do I properly disclose that my images were AI-generated?
A good habit when using AI to generate images is to disclose that AI was involved in the process. Doing so helps build trust with your audience, as well as helps prevent misinformation from spreading. A disclosure can be as simple as something that reads, “Generated by [the name of the generator].” You will notice that at ZDNET, we always disclose when we use an AI image generator image in an article, using a disclosure such as, “Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNET via [Image generator name].”
Are there DALL-E 3 alternatives worth considering?
Many AI image generators produce better results than OpenAI’s tool. If you want to try something different, check out one of our alternatives above or the two additional options below.
