7 Most Common Questions About AI Image Generators

Basic Questions About AI Image Generators

What are AI image generators and how do they work?

AI image generators are sophisticated artificial intelligence models that transform text descriptions (prompts) into visual content. They utilize neural networks trained on millions of existing images, enabling them to learn the connection between textual descriptions and visual elements.

State-of-the-art generators like DALL-E, MidJourney, or Stable Diffusion use so-called diffusion models. These work by gradually removing noise from a randomly generated image until a result matching the given description emerges. The entire process can be compared to reverse decay – starting with chaos and progressively creating structure and order.

A key technology is transformer architectures, which allow linking text understanding with visual concepts, leading to surprisingly accurate interpretations of even complex descriptions.

What are the most popular AI image generators?

Currently, the most widely used tools for creating AI images include:

• DALL-E (OpenAI) – Known for its ability to accurately interpret complex prompts, including text
• MidJourney – Excels in producing artistically impressive visuals with a distinct aesthetic character
• Stable Diffusion – An open-source solution that can be run locally on your own hardware
• Adobe Firefly – Integrated with the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem, trained on licensed content
• Leonardo.ai – Focused on game developers with the option to train custom models

Each of these tools has its unique strengths, pricing models, and licensing terms that need to be considered based on your specific needs.

Copyright and Licensing of AI-Generated Images

Who owns the copyright to images created using AI?

The question of copyright for AI-generated images is a complex and constantly evolving area:

Current legal consensus in many countries tends towards these principles:

• Traditional definition of authorship: Traditionally, copyright requires human creativity. In some jurisdictions (e.g., the USA), copyright offices explicitly state that works created by non-human entities cannot be protected by copyright.
• User's role: The user who creates the prompt and initiates the generative process is often considered the person with the strongest claim to authorship, as they contribute the creative input.
• Jurisdiction is key: Different countries have different approaches to the authorship of AI-generated content. While some jurisdictions recognize some form of protection, others explicitly reject it.

Given the rapid development in this area, it is advisable to consult the current legal framework in your jurisdiction for specific cases.

Can I use AI-generated images commercially?

The possibility of commercial use of AI-generated images depends primarily on the licensing terms of the specific tool:

• DALL-E (OpenAI): Users have full rights, including commercial use and sale. Attribution or notification that the content was AI-generated is not required.
• MidJourney: The basic subscription provides a license for non-commercial use; higher tiers (Pro and Business) allow commercial use. It is always a non-exclusive license, with MidJourney retaining certain rights.
• Stable Diffusion: When using the open-source version locally, there are usually minimal restrictions; for hosted versions, it depends on the terms of the specific service.
• Adobe Firefly: Designed specifically for commercial use with legal indemnification and trained exclusively on licensed or public domain materials.

For maximum certainty, always check the current licensing terms of the tool you are using.

Are AI models trained on copyrighted works?

Yes, many AI image generation models have been trained on datasets that include copyrighted works. This practice raises significant ethical and legal questions:

• Large web datasets: Models like Stable Diffusion used datasets such as LAION-5B, which contains billions of images collected from the public web, including copyrighted works.
• Consent issue: Most of these images were included without the explicit consent of the authors, with the argument that AI training falls under "fair use" or similar exceptions.
• Legal disputes: Several artists and publishing houses have initiated legal actions against companies developing AI generators, challenging the legality of using their works for training.
• Alternative approaches: Newer models like Adobe Firefly emphasize that they are trained only on licensed content, public domain works, or content created specifically for training purposes.

This issue remains a subject of intense debate and legal development in the field of AI and copyright law.

Ethical Aspects of AI-Generated Images

How will AI image generators affect the work of artists and designers?

The impact of AI generators on creative professions is a complex topic with various perspectives:

Potential challenges:

• Devaluation of some basic services, such as simple illustrations or stock photos
• Price pressure on certain segments of the creative market
• Questions about the authenticity and value of human creation
• Changes in the job market with the potential disappearance of some traditional positions

Opportunities and positive aspects:

• AI as a powerful tool in the hands of artists, enabling faster iterations and overcoming creative blocks
• Shift for creative professionals towards work with higher added value (strategy, concepts, emotions)
• Emergence of new specialized roles, such as prompt engineer, AI art director, or AI integration consultant
• Wider accessibility of visual creation with the potential to expand the overall market

The expected trend is hybrid approaches, where creative professionals integrate AI as part of their workflow, combining technology with human creativity, critical thinking, and cultural context.

How to recognize an AI-generated image from a human-created work?

Recognizing AI-generated images from human creations is becoming increasingly challenging with the gradual improvement of AI models, but certain indicators still exist:

Typical signs of AI-generated images:

• Anatomical inaccuracies: Problems with human limbs, especially fingers (incorrect number, strange proportions)
• Inconsistent details: Illogical connections between elements, problems with perspective or physical laws
• Text anomalies: Illegible or nonsensical text if it's part of the image
• Artifacts and strange patterns: Unusual textures, repeating patterns, or blurred details
• Excessive perfect symmetry or, conversely, asymmetric elements that should be symmetric (e.g., eyes)
• Problems with reflections and shadows: Inconsistent light direction or unrealistic reflections

While some AI-generated images are easily identifiable, the top outputs of the latest models can be almost indistinguishable from human creation for the average observer. Automatic AI content detectors exist, but their reliability gradually decreases as generative models evolve.