There are hardly any industries in which artificial intelligence (AI) hasn't changed as of 2024, including the world of image generation12. Now, you can use AI to create stunning imagery with just a few clicks of the mouse34.

Are you a designer looking for some inspiration or a brand needing some custom imagery? You'll be amazed at what AI image generators have in store for you in 2024 and beyond5. This article looks at the top AI image generators in 2024— what they offer and how they are changing the graphic design industry and numerous other industries67.

Created by OpenAI, the DALL-E series has been at the forefront of AI-generated imagery since its prototype appeared in 20211. As of late 2023, it remains the leader in creating realistic and creative images from text prompts submitted by users2. Users provide a text description with specific attributes (e.g., in the style of Vincent van Gogh, with a man riding a kangaroo, and an elephant in the background), and DALL-E generates a paraphrased image creation based on the information provided in the user description3. Graphic designers love it as a collection of emotive imagery, marketers and copywriters use it as a source of reusable article imagery, while content creators use it for mashups4. Image accuracy and its ability to interpret nuanced prompts are reasons why DALL-E stands out overall5. Users can iterate on different designs quite easily as a result of its flexibility. As a result, they can go back and forth between different versions of the same image with little extra effort6.

The artist-friendly platform of MidJourney, another AI image generator that sits near the top of the pack, may be why it's become a favorite with this community12. MidJourney's strength is in creating high-quality images that capture an often surreal dystopian mood, which has made it a favorite with many creatives and the entertainment industry3. Just as MidJourney has a reputation for very detailed images, with its AI about to produce visuals featuring complex lighting, textures, and emotions4. Users can also engage in community-driven feedback loops where they can see other users' prompts and outcomes, thus enhancing their own creativity and refining their results5.

Stable Diffusion XL 2.0 from Stability AI is another key player in this field, with the distinguishing feature that it aims at open-source accessibility and provides a platform on which developers can build their systems for AI image generation1. The Stable Diffusion ecosystem is now thriving with a multitude of applications making use of Stable Diffusion's core technology2. The platform is capable of generating large, high-resolution, detail-rich images – perfect for large-scale professional projects like marketing materials, posters, and other digital art creations3. It also offers more flexibility than most other tools, yet still provides a risk-free way to experiment with frameworks for developers and enterprises working on bespoke visualization products, especially since it outputs images of high resolution, which is attractive for professional use4.

Adobe's AI image generation tool, called Firefly, has made a splash recently by seeking to plug the new capabilities of AI-powered design into its well-known creative ecosystem. As a result, some of the tool's proponents have been professional designers and marketers.12 Users of Firefly can directly integrate the app with Adobe's suite of creative tools, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro. The result is being able to quickly generate images and then fine-tune them with leading Adobe tools that are best in class.12

The capability of editing an image at a specific level, where you can provide a prompt that highlights the specific area to edit. Being able to apply textures and adjust colors by text commands allows for very fine-grained control of the look and feel.1 Adobe Firefly brings the power of AI into the tools that creative professionals already use, making it a game-changer. By integrating the image generation functionality directly into Adobe products, there will be no need for photographers to work with external AI-powered generators that require uploading the images and then bringing them back into a content-rich environment. For anyone who uses Adobe apps, this is the primary tool.12

Initially released as a tool for editing and animating videos created using large AI models, Runway ML has since incorporated image generation into its toolkit. Runway ML offers a wide range of no-code tools for creating images with AI1. The powerful AI-powered models coupled with an intuitive and easy-to-use workflow make Runway ML a popular choice among creators2. Runway ML doesn't only create images – it generates video too, making for a broad AI toolkit for content creators. For real-time collaboration, it allows teams to generate and then refine images, videos, and 3D models together3.

All of Runway ML runs on the cloud. You don't have to install anything, and it can run on any (decent) hardware. None of the techniques mentioned require bespoke hardware. This also means that it is easily accessible to you, anywhere in the world1. Apart from its image generation capabilities, Runway ML transcends into video and into a 3D experience, allowing creators to manage their workflow in a single platform across multiple forms of content creation. Its excellent collaboration features and user-friendliness is a great fit for creative teams4.

Artbreeder is one of the few platforms that emphasize collaborative AI image design, allowing users to merge images and modify any image in a highly interactive environment12. Users can combine two or more images by dragging and dropping to 'breed' new visuals. This feature is especially good for creating a variety of new, hybrid designs and for helping people to evolve their ideas3. Artbreeder's most loved feature is the generation of face images that look almost too real. As such, it has become a useful tool for concept art and video game artists4. The platform's interface is highly interactive and very collaborative, lending itself to experimentation. The tool is great for artists who like to engage more visually, especially when creating character designs or experimenting with artistic styles24.

The speed with which AI-powered image generators have developed suggests that 2024 marks only the start of what could be in store. As the technology improves, we'll see increasingly realistic images, coupled with greater control of style, and more refined user interfaces; in short, we'll be able to make better images more easily than ever before. Whether it be for professional designers or enthusiastic hobbyists, these tools are becoming the digital equivalent of magic pens in the hands of creative practitioners.12

The tools of the future will no longer be the domain of tech-savvy professionals only but will be made with you, and anyone with an idea or a vision in mind. Beyond 2024, you can expect these tools to become fully integrated into regular creative workflows, which could eventually change the way we think about art, design, and content creation forever.34