Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized numerous industries, particularly in the realm of image generation. Leveraging advanced algorithms, AI has transcended traditional boundaries, becoming a cornerstone in creative endeavors. Through deep learning, neural networks, and generative models, AI has redefined the creative process by autonomously generating high-quality images, often indistinguishable from human-created ones. Its ability to comprehend patterns, learn from vast datasets, and replicate artistic styles has birthed a new era of innovation. These AI image generators offer a glimpse into the endless possibilities of merging technology with artistic expression, blurring the lines between what's human-made and machine-created. In this exploration of the top 5 AI image generators, we delve into the forefront of this groundbreaking intersection, showcasing the remarkable advancements shaping the future of visual creation.

Deep Dream AI Generator

DeepDream is an image generation technique developed by Google that employs deep neural networks to produce surreal visuals. Initially created to understand how neural networks recognize patterns, DeepDream works by feeding an image into a trained neural network and then enhancing the patterns it recognizes.

How Deep Dream Works?

The process involves the algorithm iteratively altering the input image to emphasize and amplify patterns and features the neural network identifies, creating dreamlike and abstract visuals. These enhanced features often include eyes, animals, and geometric patterns, leading to mesmerizing, psychedelic-like images.

What does Deep Dream offer to creators?

DeepDream offers insights into how neural networks interpret and process visual information. Beyond its technical use, it has gained popularity for its artistic and creative potential, allowing users to manipulate images in fascinating and unconventional ways, blurring the line between machine-generated art and human creativity.

How to use Deep Dream?

Google originally released DeepDream as an open-source code. Several online platforms and software tools offer DeepDream functionalities. Some platforms might offer user-friendly interfaces, while others might require coding knowledge.

To easily start using Deep Dream you need to visit their official web page. Here you can prompt the text that Deep Dream will use to generate an image based on that information. But firstly you need to sign in which you can do just by using your Google account which simplifies this process to a couple of clicks. Then go to the top of the page and find the ‘Generate’ option. Now it will open a prompt tab where you can input the text to generate the image. The generating takes a while and depends on the amount of details you input into the prompt tab. If you didn’t like the results you can redo it, add more details, or remove objects from the background if you want.

DALL-E by OpenAI

DALL-E is an AI system developed by OpenAI, known for its remarkable ability to generate diverse and contextually relevant images from textual descriptions. Introduced in early 2021, DALL-E combines the principles of GPT-style language models and advanced image generation techniques, integrating them into a single model capable of understanding and generating images based on textual prompts.

The name "DALL-E" is a play on words, referencing the famous artist Salvador Dalí and the Pixar character Wall-E.

What are the features of DALL-E?

What sets DALL-E apart is its capability to interpret and generate images based on highly specific and nuanced textual descriptions. It can create novel, high-quality images of objects, animals, scenes, and abstract concepts that might not exist in the real world, given the appropriate textual guidance.

How to use the DALL-E AI photo generator?

Before, you had to get access to using DALL-E, but now there is a free version introduced by Bing. Microsoft, the company that owns Bing.com - the search engine, also owns half of OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT. Because of that, you can use DALL-E through Bing for image generation:

  1. Go to Bing.com
  2. Press on the ‘Chat’ at the top right of the site
  3. Choose a conversation style to be ‘More Creative’
  4. Text something that you want to generate as an image, describe it
  5. Get a result in less than a minute

As you get your image generated you will see beneath that it is actually powered by DALL-E, so that is the most user-friendly and free way of giving the DALL-E a try. Here you can also click on that image which now allows you to import your photo, remove the background, and replace it. There are no professional photo retouching tools, however, there are plenty of styles to transform an image and make you look awesome in a photo.

DALL-E and ChatGPT

However, an alternative option for that is if you have purchased the ChatGPT Plus plan which allows you to do the same but inside the ChatGPT framework. In turn, It will help you to create the prompt text and give you a variety of images.

The generated images in ChatGPT Plus are 1024 x 1024 by default, but you can change it to landscape mode by asking to convert it to a horizontal version (1792 x 1024) and then clicking on the top right of the image to download it to your computer.

Artbreeder AI Picture Generator

Artbreeder is an online platform for generating images with very fine-tuned results. At first glance, the site itself does not look very expressive, but this is the case when the shell does not match the content. It contains four options for transforming images:

  1. Mixer - allows you to combine images
  2. Tuner - to fine-tune the image
  3. Patterns - to combine patterns and a description to make an image
  4. Collage - to create an image out of simple shapes, images, and text

The image settings interface provides a lot of very responsive sliders and everything works about the same as the other mentioned AI services.

Artbreetder allows users to create and manipulate images using a technique known as generative adversarial networks (GANs). It enables users, even those without extensive artistic skills, to generate new and unique images by blending and evolving existing ones.

RunwayML

RunwayML is a creative toolkit that simplifies the use of machine learning models for artists, designers, and creators. It's designed to make machine learning models accessible through an intuitive and user-friendly interface, allowing users to experiment with AI-powered tools without extensive coding knowledge.

This online service has a one-time charge-free option to give it a try and 3 paid plans for $12, $28, and $76 with a specific number of credits per month or unlimited generations with the last plan.

As this service is not free in a nutshell, it offers you plenty of options not just for image retouching but also for video editing with 3D options powered by AI generative tools.

GANPaint Studio

As previously mentioned Artbreeder, the GANPaint Studio also utilizes Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to enable users to manipulate and edit images in remarkable ways. Developed by researchers at MIT it allows for the editing of certain aspects of an image by altering its semantic structure, such as adding or removing objects, changing their colors, or even altering their positions within the image. Semantic Segmentation is the main feature here, it distinguishes different objects or elements within an image, enabling precise manipulation of these elements without affecting the overall image quality significantly.

Overall, GANPaint Studio's unique proposition lies in its ability to bridge the gap between semantic understanding and image editing, providing users with a novel way to interactively manipulate and edit images based on a deep comprehension of their content.

Comparison and Considerations

Each AI image generator has its unique strengths. Deep Dream and GANPaint Studio focus on transforming or editing existing images based on neural network manipulation, while DALL-E, Artbreeder, and RunwayML emphasize creative generation and manipulation of images with user input and control. The distinction lies in their approach: some prioritize artistic control, while others leverage AI to autonomously create based on provided input or learned patterns.

Future Developments and Conclusion

AI artwork generators' future developments anticipate enhancing the realism and fidelity of AI-generated images with better handling of details, textures, lighting, and overall visual coherence to make them indistinguishable from real photos.

Besides, they are also going to address ethical concerns preventing misuse, bias, or potential harm stemming from AI-generated content. After that, generators will be integrated into diverse industries like fashion, entertainment, design, and healthcare and this list is expanding. And of course, the ongoing research will push the boundaries of AI-generated images, exploring new architectures, techniques, and applications, potentially uncovering novel ways to fuse AI with human creativity.