Stable diffusion VS Midjourney: All you need to know

CoolTechZone
18 Nov 202308:18

TLDRThe video script discusses the current landscape of AI image generation, focusing on two leading tools: Stable Diffusion and Midjourney. Stable Diffusion is an open-source, highly customizable generator that is free but has a steep learning curve and requires a strong PC or cloud server. Midjourney, on the other hand, offers a more user-friendly experience with high-quality outputs but comes at a high subscription cost and limited customization. The script also delves into the training methods of both tools, their legal implications regarding copyright, and the potential future of AI-generated art.

Takeaways

  • 🌟 AI art is currently 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 customization and community expansion.
  • 🔒 Midjourney AI image generator is not open source and requires a paid subscription, with pricing similar to popular streaming services.
  • 🎨 Midjourney offers high-quality results with limited customization options, whereas Stable Diffusion provides more styles but may require fine-tuning.
  • 📚 Stable Diffusion learns image generation by progressively adding and reversing noise layers on a large dataset of art pieces.
  • 🤖 Midjourney's training process is speculated to combine Stable Diffusion with a large language model, allowing it to understand text prompts better.
  • 🌐 The training data for these AI tools comes from extensive sources like LAION-5B, which has raised copyright concerns.
  • ⚖️ AI-generated art in the US cannot be copyrighted due to the lack of human authorship, but human-modified AI art may qualify.
  • 🚫 Midjourney enforces a ban on explicit imagery, unlike the open-source Stable Diffusion which allows for such content.
  • 📈 The open-source nature of Stable Diffusion is believed to foster more innovation, though the choice between the two generators depends on user preference and technical expertise.

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 AI an open-source text-to-image generator?

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

  • What are the advantages of using Stable Diffusion AI?

    -Stable Diffusion AI supports thousands of custom models tailored to specific styles, offers an extremely flexible customization model, and has a dedicated community expanding its possibilities daily.

  • What are the downsides of using Stable Diffusion AI for inexperienced users?

    -Stable Diffusion AI is hard to run for inexperienced users and requires a significant amount of learning to master.

  • How does one access and use Midjourney AI image generator?

    -Using Midjourney AI image generator is only possible with a subscription, which is quite expensive, and it requires a constant internet connection.

  • What are the main differences in the training approaches of Stable Diffusion and Midjourney?

    -Stable Diffusion learns by adding and reversing layers of noise over images, while Midjourney is speculated to combine the Stable Diffusion approach with a large language model trained on text and images.

  • What is the source of the images used for training AI art generators like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney?

    -Most images used for training come from LAION-5B, a dataset with over 6 billion images, photographs, renders of 3D models, and more, each with a text description.

  • What is the current legal status of AI-generated art in terms of copyright in the United States?

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

  • How does Midjourney handle explicit content in its generated images?

    -Midjourney has a strictly enforced ban on any explicit imagery, unlike the open-source Stable Diffusion which does not have such restrictions.

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

    -Stable Diffusion is free and flexible but requires more technical insight, while Midjourney is easier to use, more meticulously trained, and provides better results on average.

  • What are the implications of using AI-generated art in terms of creator credit and copyright?

    -AI-generated art raises complex questions about creator credit and copyright, as the training data often includes works of countless creators without their explicit credit or consent, leading to potential legal disputes.

Outlines

00:00

🖌️ AI Art Generation: Free vs. Paid

This paragraph discusses the current landscape of AI art generation, focusing on the availability of high-level AI image generation tools and the comparison between two prominent examples: Stable Diffusion and Midjourney. It highlights the open-source nature of Stable Diffusion, which is freely available and customizable but has a steep learning curve, and Midjourney, which is not open source, requires a subscription, and is more user-friendly but less customizable. The paragraph also touches on the technical aspects of running these tools, such as the need for a strong PC for Stable Diffusion and the constant internet connection required for Midjourney's Discord bot.

05:03

🌟 Community and Quality in AI Art Models

The second paragraph delves into the strengths and weaknesses of Stable Diffusion and Midjourney in terms of community involvement and image quality. It emphasizes the creativity and variety offered by the community-built fine-tuned models of Stable Diffusion, which can transform a simple video into an animation. In contrast, Midjourney relies on a single, constantly updated model but offers higher quality images that closely match the prompt. The paragraph also addresses the explicit content policies of both platforms, with Midjourney enforcing a strict ban and Stable Diffusion allowing more freedom due to its open-source nature. Finally, it explores the complex issue of copyrighting AI-generated art, noting that while AI art cannot be copyrighted in the US as of August 2023, human-modified AI art may qualify for copyright protection.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI art

AI art refers to the creation of visual art using artificial intelligence. In the context of the video, AI art is the central topic and the video discusses the use of AI in generating images, comparing two specific AI tools, Stable Diffusion and Midjourney, which are used for this purpose. The video explores the capabilities, accessibility, and legal implications of AI-generated art, highlighting the current state of AI in the art world.

💡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 and customization capabilities, allowing users to generate images in various styles by using different models. The video explains that while it is powerful and customizable, it may be challenging for inexperienced users to operate and requires a strong PC or cloud server to run efficiently.

💡Midjourney

Midjourney is a proprietary AI image generator that operates on a subscription model. Unlike Stable Diffusion, it is not open-source and is more user-friendly, especially for beginners, only requiring a Discord account to use. The video explains that Midjourney offers high-quality image generation but is less customizable than Stable Diffusion and has restrictions on its usage, such as limitations on high-speed generation in the basic plan.

💡Image generation

Image generation refers to the process by which AI systems create visual images based on textual descriptions or other inputs. In the video, image generation is the primary function of the AI tools discussed, with a focus on how these tools learn to generate images by adding and reversing noise, and how they are trained on datasets to produce various styles and qualities of images.

💡Open-source

Open-source refers to software or tools whose source code is made publicly available, allowing anyone to view, use, modify, and distribute the software freely. In the context of the video, Stable Diffusion is described as an open-source AI image generator, which means that its code is freely accessible and the community can contribute to its development and expand its capabilities.

💡Fine-tuned models

Fine-tuned models are AI models that have been trained on a specific, narrower dataset to perform better in a particular task or style. In the context of the video, fine-tuned models of Stable Diffusion are popular because they can generate images in a specific style, such as anime, more accurately than the standard model trained on a broader dataset.

💡Legal issues

Legal issues in the context of AI art generation pertain to the rights and responsibilities surrounding the creation and use of AI-generated content, including copyright and intellectual property concerns. The video discusses the legal gray area of AI-generated art, the lack of credit for creators whose images are used for training AI models, and the potential for copyright infringement lawsuits against companies like Midjourney.

💡Copyright

Copyright is a legal right that grants creators exclusive rights to their original works, typically including the rights to reproduce, distribute, and display the work. In the context of the video, the discussion of copyright revolves around the question of whether AI-generated art can be copyrighted and under what conditions, as well as the implications for human artists who use AI tools to create art.

💡Community

In the context of the video, the community refers to the group of users and developers who contribute to the development and enhancement of open-source tools like Stable Diffusion. The community is essential for expanding the capabilities of these tools, creating new models, and providing support and customization options for users.

💡Training data

Training data consists of the datasets used to teach AI systems how to perform specific tasks, such as generating images. In the context of AI art generation, training data includes images, photographs, and text descriptions that help the AI learn the relationship between text prompts and visual outputs.

💡Explicit imagery

Explicit imagery refers to visual content that is intended for adults only and is not suitable for general audiences due to its graphic or suggestive nature. In the context of the video, explicit imagery is discussed as a restriction in Midjourney, which has a ban on such content, whereas Stable Diffusion, being open-source, does not have such restrictions and even has specific models designed to create not safe for work imagery.

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 has a dedicated community that expands its possibilities daily.

Stable Diffusion is difficult to run for inexperienced users and has a learning curve.

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

Midjourney's basic plan is almost as expensive as the Netflix standard pricing.

Midjourney is more beginner-friendly and only requires a Discord account to use.

Stable Diffusion can be run through a cloud server or locally, but requires a strong PC.

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

Fine-tuned models of Stable Diffusion are popular for generating specific styles closely.

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

Midjourney is a closed-source AI that combines Stable Diffusion with a large language model.

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

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

AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted in the US as of August 2023 due to 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 the technology.

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