Midjourney, an innovative generative AI platform, allows users to create unique artwork such as characters, images, and depictions through short text prompts. Unlike traditional rule-based AI systems, generative AI platforms like Midjourney use advanced algorithms, often based on deep learning techniques, to autonomously produce novel and contextually relevant outputs.
Midjourney AI, developed by the research lab Midjourney, Inc., is a program and service led by David Holz, co-founder of Leap Motion. Similar to OpenAI’s DALL-E and Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion, Midjourney uses natural language descriptions called prompts to create visuals. The platform aims to expand the imaginative powers of the human species and explore new mediums of thought.
To generate artwork, Midjourney combines large language models and diffusion models. When users input prompts, a large language model deciphers the meaning and transforms it into a numerical vector. This vector guides the diffusion process, where Midjourney uses a diffusion model to transform random noise into visually appealing art. By gradually reversing this noise over time, the model generates entirely new images that embody the essence of the specified objects and themes in the prompt.
To get started with Midjourney, users need a Discord account. They can join the Midjourney Discord server and select a subscription plan. Previously, Midjourney offered a free trial program, but it is now a paid service. Users can use the “/imagine” command in the Discord channel to generate artwork by providing prompts. Midjourney takes about a minute to generate four artwork options on average.
Users can save the generated images by right-clicking and choosing the “Save image” option or tapping the download icon on mobile. The ownership of Midjourney images is open-source, allowing others to use and remix them in a public setting. However, selling Midjourney artwork raises ethical questions.
Midjourney differs from Dall-E 2, which is a text-to-image model developed by OpenAI. While both platforms generate images from prompts, Midjourney can be accessed via Discord, while Dall-E 2 is only available on OpenAI’s website. Additionally, Midjourney can generate higher-resolution images compared to Dall-E 2.
Midjourney has benefits for artists, allowing them to explore various artistic styles and concepts, save time, and collaborate within a community. It can be used for various purposes, including product images, illustrations, NFT art projects, and architectural visualizations.
The ethical implications of AI art are multifaceted, involving considerations of creativity, ownership, bias, and societal impact. Clear guidelines on attribution and ownership are essential, and artists should be aware of the ethical implications of selling AI-generated work. Biases in AI models and the environmental impact of large-scale AI operations should also be addressed in the ethical discourse.