Google Gemini‘s image generation tool is the newest AI kid on the block, but it already has growing pains: Shortly after its launch, reports surfaced of the software generating ahistorical images of the past.
Google immediately paused the tool and released a statement saying it planned to debut an “improved” version soon. In the meantime, though, the recent boom in text-to-image generative software means that you’ll have plenty of the options for creating your own AI images.
We’re still in the wild west of AI tools, with plenty of concerns still swirling around the controversial software, from the questionable legality of image scraping practices to the potential devaluation of human artists to the scams that fake imagery can trick victims into falling for.
While you’re waiting for the dust to settle, these are the major players to know in the AI image game — free and otherwise.
Generally considered the best AI image tool, Midjourney was developed by the independent research lab Midjourney, Inc, and is still in open beta. Critics say this tool generates complex, relatively high-quality imagery, but also requires a little finessing and patience in order to hit on the perfect (often lengthy) prompt.
It’s not free, though: You can access it starting at $20 per user per month as part of OpenAI’s ChatGPT Plus plan. There used to be a free trial period, but thanks to AI hype, too many people abused it and the company has officially shut it down.