Stable diffusion VS Midjourney: All you need to know

CoolTechZone
18 Nov 202308:18

TLDRThe video script discusses the current landscape of AI art generation, focusing on two prominent tools: Stable Diffusion and Midjourney. Stable Diffusion is an open-source, highly customizable generator that requires technical knowledge, while Midjourney is a paid service with a simpler interface but less customization. Both tools have their strengths and limitations, with Stable Diffusion offering a broader range of styles and Midjourney delivering higher-quality, more prompt-accurate results. The script also touches on the legal aspects of AI-generated art, highlighting the complexities of copyright and the potential for both tools to be used in creating original works of art.

Takeaways

  • 🌟 AI art is a trending topic with questions about the accessibility of high-level AI image generation.
  • 🆓 Stable Diffusion is an open-source text-to-image generator available for free, supporting custom models and having an active community.
  • 🔒 Midjourney AI image generator is not open-source and requires a paid subscription, with pricing similar to standard Netflix plans.
  • 🎨 Midjourney offers high-quality results with limited customization options, while Stable Diffusion provides more flexibility with a wider range of styles.
  • 👨‍💻 Stable Diffusion can be challenging for inexperienced users and requires learning to operate effectively.
  • 🌐 Midjourney requires an internet connection and uses a Discord bot, whereas Stable Diffusion can run locally or on a cloud server.
  • 🤖 Both tools likely use similar training approaches, with Stable Diffusion learning from image destruction and reconstruction.
  • 🎨 Fine-tuned models in Stable Diffusion are popular for their ability to produce specific styles closely.
  • 🚫 Midjourney has strict content restrictions, banning explicit imagery, unlike the open-source Stable Diffusion.
  • 📜 The copyright status of AI-generated art is complex; as of August 2023, AI art without human input cannot be copyrighted in the US, but human-modified AI art may qualify.

Q & A

  • What are the two AI image generators discussed in the transcript?

    -The two AI image generators discussed are Stable Diffusion and Midjourney.

  • Is Stable Diffusion an open-source text-to-image generator?

    -Yes, Stable Diffusion is an open-source text-to-image generator that is freely available to anyone.

  • What are the advantages of using Stable Diffusion?

    -Stable Diffusion offers a highly flexible customization model, supports thousands of custom models tailored to specific styles, and has a dedicated community that expands its possibilities daily.

  • What are the challenges associated with using Stable Diffusion?

    -Stable Diffusion can be difficult to run for inexperienced users, requiring a bit of learning to master, and it may need a strong PC or cloud server to run efficiently.

  • How does Midjourney AI image generator differ from Stable Diffusion?

    -Midjourney is not open-source, requires a paid subscription for use, is less customizable, and has a more limited number of models. However, it is more beginner-friendly and typically produces higher quality results.

  • What is the pricing context for Midjourney's basic plan?

    -The basic plan for Midjourney is almost as expensive as the Netflix standard pricing, with restrictions on high-speed generation.

  • How does Stable Diffusion learn to generate images?

    -Stable Diffusion learns by adding layers of noise over images and then attempting to reverse the process to recreate the original image from just a few scraps of data.

  • What is the training approach of Midjourney AI?

    -Midjourney is speculated to combine the Stable Diffusion approach with a large language model trained on a massive dataset of text and images, allowing it to understand the relationship between text prompts and image outputs.

  • What is the source of images used for training these AI generators?

    -Most images used for training come from the LAION-5B dataset, which contains over 6 billion images with text descriptions.

  • How does the copyright issue affect AI-generated art?

    -As of August 2023, AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted in the US because copyright laws protect only human-created works. However, if a human artist uses AI to create images and then modifies them creatively, the resulting work may be eligible for copyright.

  • What are the main takeaways from comparing Stable Diffusion and Midjourney?

    -Stable Diffusion is free and flexible but requires more technical insight, while Midjourney is easier to use and provides better results on average but requires a subscription. The open-source approach of Stable Diffusion may foster more technological growth in the long run.

Outlines

00:00

🖼️ AI Art Generation: Free vs. Paid

This paragraph discusses the hot topic of AI art generation, focusing on the availability of high-level AI image generation for free versus behind paid services. It introduces a comparison between two prominent examples, Stable Diffusion and Midjourney, highlighting their main differences. Stable Diffusion is described as an open-source, customizable text-to-image generator with a supportive community, but it can be challenging for inexperienced users. In contrast, Midjourney is a closed-source, subscription-based image generator with limited customization options but high-quality, beginner-friendly results. The paragraph also touches on the training methods of both AI tools and the legal considerations surrounding the use of copyrighted material in AI-generated art.

05:03

🌟 Community Innovations and Copyright in AI Art

The second paragraph delves into the community's role in enhancing Stable Diffusion through fine-tuned models and creative applications, such as transforming videos into animations. It contrasts this with Midjourney's single, constantly updated model, which produces higher quality images that closely match the prompts. The paragraph addresses Midjourney's strict ban on explicit imagery, unlike the open-source Stable Diffusion, and explores the complex issue of copyrighting AI-generated art. It explains the current legal stance in the US, where AI-generated art without human input cannot be copyrighted, but human-modified AI art may qualify for copyright protection. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the open-source approach's potential to foster technological growth and invites viewers to share their preferences and experiences with AI image generators.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI art

AI art refers to the creation of artistic works, such as images or animations, using artificial intelligence. In the context of the video, AI art is the central topic being discussed, with a focus on AI image generation tools like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney. The video explores the capabilities, accessibility, and potential legal issues surrounding AI-generated art, highlighting the evolving landscape of this innovative field.

💡Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion is an open-source text-to-image AI generator that is freely available for anyone to use. It is known for its flexibility, as it supports thousands of custom models tailored to specific styles and has a dedicated community that continually expands its capabilities. However, it requires technical knowledge and can be challenging for inexperienced users. In the video, Stable Diffusion is presented as an example of a free AI art generator with a high level of customization.

💡Midjourney

Midjourney is a proprietary AI image generator that operates on a subscription model, which can be quite expensive. Unlike Stable Diffusion, it is not open-source and has limited customization options. However, it is more beginner-friendly and is known for producing high-quality images that closely match the prompts given to it. The video positions Midjourney as an example of a paid service for AI art generation with a focus on quality and ease of use.

💡Open-source

Open-source refers to software or tools whose source code is made available to the public, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the software freely. In the context of the video, Stable Diffusion is an open-source AI art generator, which means that it encourages community involvement and innovation, as users can contribute to its development and create custom models.

💡Fine-tuned models

Fine-tuned models are AI models that have been trained on a specific subset of data to perform better in particular tasks or styles. In the video, it is mentioned that Stable Diffusion's fine-tuned models are more popular in the community because they can generate images in a chosen style more accurately, such as anime or the work of a specific artist.

💡Language model (LLM)

A language model (LLM) is an AI model that is trained on a large dataset of text to understand and generate human-like text based on the input it receives. In the context of the video, it is speculated that Midjourney combines a language model with the Stable Diffusion approach, allowing it to understand the relationship between text prompts and images, and generate descriptions that match the desired output.

💡Copyright infringement

Copyright infringement occurs when someone uses copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright holder. In the context of the video, it discusses the legal issues surrounding AI art generators, particularly in relation to the sources of training data. The video mentions a class action copyright infringement lawsuit against Midjourney due to the use of images without crediting the creators.

💡Commercial use

Commercial use refers to the application of a product, service, or work for monetary gain or profit. In the video, it is mentioned that while Stable Diffusion claims any image created with it can be used commercially, users may be held responsible for potential copyright violations depending on local laws. This highlights the complex relationship between AI-generated content and commercial application.

💡Explicit imagery

Explicit imagery refers to visual content that is intended for adults only and is often considered inappropriate for general audiences due to its sexual or graphic nature. In the context of the video, it is noted that Midjourney has a strict policy against generating explicit imagery, whereas Stable Diffusion, being open-source, does not have such restrictions and even has specific models designed for creating not safe for work content.

💡Copyrighting AI art

The process of copyrighting AI art involves determining whether AI-generated works can be protected under copyright law. As of August 2023, in the US, AI-generated art without human input cannot be copyrighted because it lacks human authorship. However, if a human artist uses AI to generate images and then modifies them creatively, the resulting work may be eligible for copyright protection.

💡Community involvement

Community involvement in the context of AI art generation refers to the participation of users and creators in the development and improvement of AI tools. The video highlights the importance of community involvement, especially in the case of Stable Diffusion, where the community contributes to the creation of custom models and expands the possibilities of the AI generator.

Highlights

AI art is one of the hottest topics in AI discussion.

The question of whether high-level AI image generation is accessible for free or exclusively behind paid services is explored.

Stable Diffusion is an open-source text-to-image generator available for free.

Stable Diffusion supports thousands of custom models tailored to specific styles.

Stable Diffusion offers an extremely flexible customization model and has a dedicated community expanding its possibilities.

Stable Diffusion is challenging for inexperienced users and requires learning to master.

Midjourney AI image generator is not open source and requires a costly subscription.

Midjourney's basic plan is almost as expensive as the Netflix standard pricing with restrictions on high-speed generation.

Midjourney is less customizable with only a few models but produces high-quality results.

Midjourney is beginner-friendly, only requiring a Discord account for use.

Midjourney requires a constant internet connection, unlike Stable Diffusion, which can run locally or on a cloud server.

Stable Diffusion learns to generate images by repeatedly adding and reversing noise layers.

Stable Diffusion's fine-tuned models are trained on narrower data sets and produce style-specific images.

Using images from a specific artist can replicate their work with some accuracy, raising legal concerns.

Midjourney is a closed-source system, combining Stable Diffusion's approach with a large language model.

Midjourney has faced a class action copyright infringement lawsuit due to its training data sources.

Stable Diffusion claims any image created with it can be used commercially, but users may be held responsible for copyright compliance.

AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted in the US as of August 2023, due to a lack of human authorship.

If a human artist uses AI to generate and then modifies images, the resulting work may be copyrightable.

The open-source approach of Stable Diffusion is seen as more potent for nurturing technology, but only time will tell.