Top AI Art Generators, Ranked Free of Charge
AI-Generated Art Explained:
In the realm of human creativity, AI-produced visuals may not fit snugly. Although there's undeniably technical prowess in tailoring the right prompts to get desired outcomes, the intention behind these images seems absent. If AI is the artist, then how can humans legitimately claim the products as their own?
AI-generated images have become a popular shortcut for busy PR professionals seeking quick, substandard visuals unworthy of even casual examination. Traditional art communities, like those on DeviantArt, have intrinsically scorned any AI-generated images.
Now, services like Shutterstock and Adobe offer built-in AI image generators, while companies like Getty Images have their own AI art generators integrated into their UIs. However, Getty is currently suing the makers of Stable Diffusion, Stability AI, over copyright infringement due to using copyrighted photos to train its generator. The legal landscape for paid AI images remains unclear, with artists also attempting—but struggling—to file lawsuits against AI generator creators.
My advice? Keep these AI images for personal enjoyment rather than professional use, as the quality won't match that of a professional image. And don't be fooled—the "free" aspect of these AI models isn't truly free. Following the dealer analogy, the first taste is complimentary, but these sites will eventually ask you to pay for more images or upgraded quality. Even popular AI image generator, Midjourney, which started as a free Discord server in 2022, is no longer free.
A wave of AI video generators has recently entered the stage. OpenAI's Sora model seems the most promising, boasting impressive capabilities. However, it's currently inaccessible. Microsoft's VASA-1 used to create fairly lifelike deepfakes, but it has an odd quirk: the characters' teeth.
Some models like DALL-E 3 require a ChatGPT subscription, while Bing's image generator, now called Microsoft Designer's Image Creator, uses the same model and is free. Unfortunately, DALL-E 2 lacks the capabilities of newer models.
For this ranking, I focused on the time it takes to create each image, their standard free resolution, usability, and image quality across several esoteric text prompts based on books I've recently read. These books include "Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeanette Ng," "The Dispossessed by Ursula K. LeGuin," and "A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine."
Platforms that rely on photos instead of text prompts were included in the rankings, with the same image used for each one. The legal landscape for AI-generated images is murky, with no clear precedents. Until legal cases provide a roadmap, I suggest using these free AI art generators only for entertainment purposes.
Weirdness seems rewarding in the AI-generated art world. For a taste of the strangest AI-generated commercials, visit Gizmodo's list here. With the advent of text-to-video models, we're also including free video generators in our rankings.
I'm far from an art critic, but I can spot AI-generated art that copiously copies and replicates internet art. Want to learn more about AI, chatbots, and the future of machine learning? Check out our complete coverage of artificial intelligence, or browse our guides on How to Use ChatGPT and Everything We Know About the OpenAI chatbot.
- recent reviews suggest that AI-generated images, such as those from services like Shutterstock and Adobe, are not suitable for professional use due to inferior quality compared to traditional art.
- In the future, with advancements in technology, AI might generate art that replicates internet art, which some may find unoriginal.
- Interestingly, some AI art generators, like DALL-E 3, require a subscription to access, while others, like Microsoft Designer's Image Creator, offer their services for free.
- The legal landscape for AI-generated images is currently murky, with no clear precedents, making it advisable to use such free AI art generators only for entertainment purposes.
