What is Midjourney?

Midjourney stands as a pioneering generative AI program and service developed by the forward-thinking research lab, Midjourney, Inc. Helmed by David Holz, co-founder of Leap Motion, the Midjourney team has harnessed the power of natural language descriptions, referred to as prompts, akin to the methodologies employed by OpenAI's DALL-E and Stability AI's Stable Diffusion.

Describing itself as "an independent research lab exploring new mediums of thought and expanding the imaginative powers of the human species," Midjourney has been in open beta since July 12, 2022. Users can seamlessly generate high-quality artwork by employing simple text-based prompts within Discord bot commands. Remarkably, no specialized hardware or software is required for Midjourney utilization, making it accessible to a broad audience. However, a Discord account is a prerequisite to access this innovative service.

What is the principle of work of Midjourney AI?

Midjourney orchestrates its creative process through the intricate synergy of two advanced machine-learning technologies: large language models and diffusion models. When users provide prompts, a substantial language model deciphers the semantics of the words, translating them into a numerical vector.

This vector plays a pivotal role in steering the diffusion process, where Midjourney employs a diffusion model to metamorphose random noise into visually striking art. The essence of diffusion models lies in incrementally introducing random noise to a training dataset of images. Over time, the model becomes proficient at generating entirely new images by mastering the art of reversing this noise.

For instance, when a user inputs a text prompt like "Bitcoin Logo with Satoshi Nakamoto in it," Midjourney commences with a canvas of visual noise. Through latent diffusion, a trained AI model systematically subtracts noise, gradually revealing an image that encapsulates the core elements of the specified objects and themes in the original prompt.

The symbiotic relationship between language comprehension and diffusion modeling empowers Midjourney to craft a diverse array of captivating AI-generated artworks skillfully, all stemming from user input or prompts.

How to use Midjourney? – Step-by-step guide.

Accessing the Midjourney beta is exclusive to users with a Discord account. To guide you through the process, here's a step-by-step tutorial on harnessing the capabilities of Midjourney to craft one-of-a-kind AI-generated images:

Step 1: Set up Discord.

Ensure you have an active Discord account. If you don't have one, create an account on the Discord platform.

Step 2: Join Midrouney Discord Server.

Discord users eager to explore the Midjourney beta have two convenient options for initiation: Visit Midjourney, Locate and click on the "Join the Beta" button prominently displayed on the website.

Alternatively, users can directly visit the Midjourney Discord server.

Step 3: Select a subscription plan.

Upon its initial launch in July 2022, Midjourney welcomed users to freely generate up to 25 images without charge. However, a significant shift occurred in April 2023 when Midjourney temporarily suspended the free trial program. Presently, Midjourney is no longer available for free use, except during specific brief promotional periods.

For detailed information on the current pricing structure, please refer to the Picture below:

Step 4: Start creating Artwork.

To kick off your creative journey on the Midjourney Discord server, begin by navigating to the channel labeled "#newbies," followed by a number corresponding to the available channels. Given the multitude of options, feel free to select any channel that piques your interest.

Once in the "newbie" channel, initiate the image generation process by entering the following command: /image

Then write the desired prompt.

How long does Midjourney take to generate Artwork?

Typically, the image generation process with Midjourney takes approximately a minute, yielding four artwork options. It's worth noting that this timeframe is an average and may vary, particularly if users opt for upscaled images or outputs with non-square aspect ratios.

Midjourney's subscription plans offer both fast and relaxed modes, each tailored to different user preferences:

• Fast Mode:
  • No need to wait in line behind others.
  • Even the highest-tier paid plans include a monthly limit on the number of images generated in fast mode.
• Relaxed Mode:
  • Image requests are queued, and generation times can range from one to 10 minutes.
  • Users can activate the "Turbo" mode using the "/turbo" command, accelerating image generation fourfold. However, it consumes twice as much time from the monthly allowance of the subscribed plan.

These flexible modes cater to users with varying preferences, ensuring that Midjourney accommodates both those seeking immediate results and those comfortable with a more leisurely pace. Choose the mode that aligns with your creative workflow and subscription plan.

To preserve your generated artwork on Midjourney, follow these steps based on your device:

On Desktop:

1. Click on the generated image to open it in full size.
2. Right-click on the image.
3. Choose the "Save image" option from the menu.

On Mobile:

1. Long-tap on the generated image.
2. Tap the download icon located in the top right corner.

For accessing previously created Midjourney images on Discord and viewing the prompts used for their generation:

1. Navigate to the Discord Inbox's "Mention" tab.
2. Download any previous images that you want to revisit.

It's important to note that Midjourney operates on an open community principle. All generated images and prompts are in the public domain, and ownership is open-source. Midjourney encourages users to freely use and remix images and prompts when shared publicly. By default, all images on Midjourney are publicly viewable and remixable, allowing anyone to access and modify them. This ethos raises ethical concerns regarding the commercialization or sale of Midjourney artwork, as it contradicts the open and collaborative nature of the platform.

What are the Benefits of Midjourney?

Midjourney has emerged as a groundbreaking platform, empowering artists to delve into a myriad of artistic styles, themes, and concepts. This fosters creativity and pushes the boundaries of traditional art forms, allowing artists to experiment with various parameters and techniques. The results span a spectrum of versatility, ranging from abstract compositions to remarkably realistic representations. Notably, the platform stands out for its time-saving attributes, thanks to the swift AI turnaround in generating images.

The collaborative aspects of Midjourney are further enriched through integration with platforms like Discord. This integration facilitates the sharing of ideas, techniques, and creations among artists within a vibrant community of like-minded individuals.

Beyond its significance in artistic expression, Midjourney proves beneficial for diverse applications, including the creation of product images, illustrations, social media creatives, marketing collaterals, nonfungible token (NFT) art projects, and architectural visualizations. This versatility positions Midjourney as a valuable tool for artists and creators across various domains, expanding the horizons of what is achievable in the realm of digital art and design.

Content Won by Artificial Intelligence Midjourney?

Mr. Jason M. Allen made waves in the art world by entering his AI-generated masterpiece, "Théâtre d’Opéra Spatial," into the Colorado State Fair's art competition — a move that earned him the first-place accolade in the Digital Arts/Digitally Manipulated Photography category. The artwork, crafted with the assistance of the AI tool Midjourney, has sparked a spirited debate about the intersection of AI and art on Twitter.

Midjourney, the AI used in the creation of "Théâtre d’Opéra Spatial," is developed by an independent research lab dedicated to exploring innovative avenues of thought and expanding the imaginative capacities of humanity, as outlined on their website.

Mr. Allen's creative process involved generating hundreds of images through Midjourney, followed by weeks of refinement through subtle alterations and revisions. From this extensive collection, he meticulously selected the top three pieces. To elevate the presentation, he employed GigaPixel AI to upscale the chosen artworks, subsequently printing them on canvas. The culmination of these efforts resulted in his triumphant submission to the Colorado State Fair's competition in early August.

This achievement not only underscores the transformative potential of AI in the realm of artistic expression but also ignites a broader conversation about the evolving dynamics between technology and human creativity.

Midjourney vs. DALL-E 3 vs. Bing AI

DALL-E 3, the text-to-image model succeeding DALL-E, was developed by OpenAI, the same research lab that introduced ChatGPT. OpenAI secured substantial funding, receiving over $1 billion in 2019 from Microsoft and Khosla Ventures. Following the launch of DALL-E 2 and ChatGPT in January 2023, OpenAI received an additional $10 billion from Microsoft. In contrast, Midjourney is an independent venture funded by Midjourney Inc., relying on self-funding rather than external investment.

Although both DALL-E 3 and Midjourney operate on the concept of generating images from natural language prompts, they cater to distinct preferences and requirements. Notably, Bing AI is another player in this domain, and some key differences among the three include:

1. Access:

• Midjourney: Accessible through Discord.
• DALL-E 3: Accessed via OpenAI's website.
• Bing AI: Available on Bing's website and is a free service.

2. Image Resolution:

• Midjourney: Can generate images with a resolution of 1792x1024.
• DALL-E 3 and Bing AI: Generate images with a resolution of 1024x1024.

3. Subscription:

• Midjourney and DALL-E: Both offer subscription plans with varying features, and users can check updated rates on their respective websites.
• Bing AI: Available as a free service without subscription requirements.

These distinctions highlight the diverse options available to users, allowing them to choose based on factors such as accessibility, image resolution, and subscription preferences. Each platform brings its unique strengths to the table, catering to a variety of user needs in the text-to-image generation landscape.