In a time when AI is shaping every aspect of our lives, creativity is no exception. AI image generators are key tools that assist not only professional and amateur artists in creating stunning visuals, but also the average knowledge worker. Let’s compare three widely recognized AI image generators: Dall-E 3, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney. We aim to answer your questions such as, “What is the best AI image generator?” and “How do you use these AI image generators?“, among others.
Introduction to AI Image Generation
AI image generators translate text into visually appealing, realistic images. Using advanced machine learning, these generators swiftly create unique visuals, providing users a new creative avenue.
AI algorithms learn from millions of images and their descriptions. Then, when you feed in a text description, the AI utilizes its training to generate a corresponding image.
Dall-E: The First in the Scene
The field of AI image generators was first popularized by Dall-Е, a product from the pioneers of AI, OpenAI.
In 2024, Dall-E 3 is one of the top picks when it comes to AI image generation, a well-earned spot. Its predecessor, Dall-E 2, first earned this reputation by creating unique images that went viral and set a new standard for AI-generated art.
One key aspect of Dall-E 3 is its user-friendliness and simplicity. While there are many ways to use it, one of the best ways to do so is through Team-GPT. To access Dall-E 3, you just need an OpenAI API key linked to Team-GPT.That’s how easy it is to have a collaborative, convenient AI image generator for your entire team. Team-GPT makes it simple for you to develop and build upon your team’s designs to achieve exactly what you need.
Midjourney: The Leader in Quality
Midjourney is recognized as the leading company in AI image generation, offering superior consistency and control over the output. However, it’s essential to note that several hurdles are holding it back from mass adoption compared to Dall-E. For starters, it offers a subscription-based service and does not provide an API.
Additionally, it can only be accessed through their official Discord channel, which comes across as strange to first-time users. Also, generated images are public, lack privacy, and there are no collaboration features.
Notably, Midjourney is reportedly trained on a vast collection of stock images. Although the CEO of Midjourney has remained silent on this matter, the occasional appearance of stock watermark images has led to numerous discussions speculating and debating ways to remove them.
Stable Diffusion: Democratising Image Generation
In contrast to Midjourney, Stable Diffusion is a free, open-source project. It enables anyone with a powerful enough computer to use it, thereby maximizing accessibility. DreamStudio, the web app of Stable Diffusion, is quite affordable and customizable.
But, this approach adds a steeper learning curve than Dall-E and Midjourney. It requires some technical skill to run, maintain, and edit, so it’s not as accessible to the average user.
The Showdown: Dall-E vs Midjourney vs Stable Diffusion
While the open-source accessibility of Stable Diffusion is certainly appealing, Midjourney appears to surpass it in terms of image generation capabilities. Dall-E, on the other hand, comfortably sits in the middle with its ease of use and performance.
| Pros | Cons | How to access | |
| Dall-E 3 | – Easy to Use – Great for most users | – Needs OpenAI API key | The best way is through Team-GPT |
| Midjourney | – Best Image results – Great Community | – Used only through Discord – Public Generation – No API | Official Discord |
| Stable Diffusion | – Open-source – Accessable | – Learning Curve – Requires technical skills | Open-source, DreamStudio |
What’s the Best AI Image Generator for Me?
Predicting the top AI image generators for 2024 and beyond is tough due to rapid AI development. We will just have to wait and see.
Answering the question, “What is the best AI image generator?” truly depends on your needs. If you want something quick and easy without being an artist, accessing Dall-E through Team-GPT would be your best choice. If you require a professional-grade generation and are willing to pay for a subscription, Midjourney might be the appropriate tool for you.
For a deeper Dall-E and Midjourney comparison, read our article, “Dall-E vs Midjourney: Which is Better for Image Creation?”.In it, we discuss whether you should use Dall-E or Midjourney depending on your use cases.
Iliya Valchanov
Iliya teaches 1.4M students on the topics of AI, data science, and machine learning. He is a serial entrepreneur, who has co-founded Team-GPT, 3veta, and 365 Data Science. Iliya’s latest project, Team-GPT is helping companies like Maersk, EY, Charles Schwab, Johns Hopkins University, Yale University, Columbia University adopt AI in the most private and secure way.