AI for Images: Generation and Editing

One of the most visible AI revolutions is in images. AI can now create stunning visuals from text descriptions and edit photos in ways that were impossible a few years ago. Let's explore this fascinating domain.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll understand how AI image generation works, the major tools available, and how to use them effectively.

The Image Generation Revolution

What Happened

In 2022, AI image generation crossed a threshold. Tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion could suddenly create images that looked like professional art, photography, and design — from simple text descriptions.

Before (2020): AI-generated images were blurry, distorted, and obviously artificial.

After (2022): AI-generated images could be photorealistic, artistic, and sometimes indistinguishable from human-created work.

How It Works

Image AI learns from billions of images paired with descriptions:

1. Training: The AI sees millions of images with captions (e.g., "a sunset over mountains")
2. Pattern learning: It learns what visual elements correspond to what words
3. Generation: When you give it text, it generates pixels that match those patterns
4. Refinement: Through techniques like "diffusion," it iteratively improves the image

The result: you describe what you want, and the AI creates it.

Major Image AI Tools

DALL-E (OpenAI)

Aspect	Details
Access	Through ChatGPT (Plus subscribers) or API
Strengths	Integration with ChatGPT, natural language understanding
Best for	Quick generations, text in images, realistic styles

Midjourney

Aspect	Details
Access	Via Discord (subscription required)
Strengths	Artistic quality, aesthetic appeal, community
Best for	Art, illustrations, stylized images

Stable Diffusion

Aspect	Details
Access	Free, open-source (various interfaces available)
Strengths	Full control, customization, runs locally
Best for	Technical users, custom workflows, privacy

Adobe Firefly

Aspect	Details
Access	Adobe Creative Cloud, free web version
Strengths	Designed for commercial safety, Adobe integration
Best for	Professionals, commercial use, Photoshop integration

Others

• Leonardo.ai: Game and fantasy art focus
• Canva AI: Design-focused, built into Canva
• Microsoft Designer: Free, Copilot integration
• Ideogram: Strong at text rendering in images

What AI Can Generate

Artistic Images

• Paintings in any style (impressionist, abstract, pop art)
• Digital art and illustrations
• Concept art for games and movies

Realistic Images

• Product photography
• Architectural visualizations
• People (with ethical considerations)
• Landscapes and nature

Design Elements

• Logos and icons (with limitations)
• Social media graphics
• Marketing materials
• Presentations

Conceptual Visuals

• Ideas that don't exist (flying cars, fantasy creatures)
• Mashups (combining styles or concepts)
• Variations on themes

Writing Effective Prompts

The art of "prompt engineering" for images:

Basic Structure

[Subject] [Style] [Mood/Lighting] [Additional Details]

Example:

"A cozy coffee shop interior, watercolor illustration style, warm morning light, vintage furniture, plants on shelves"

Tips for Better Results

Be specific:

• Instead of "dog" → "golden retriever puppy playing in autumn leaves"
• Instead of "portrait" → "professional headshot, studio lighting, neutral background"

Mention style:

• "oil painting style"
• "minimalist vector illustration"
• "photorealistic 4K"
• "anime style"

Describe lighting:

• "golden hour sunlight"
• "dramatic shadows"
• "soft diffused light"
• "neon glow"

Add atmosphere:

• "peaceful and serene"
• "dynamic and energetic"
• "mysterious and moody"

Common Prompt Patterns

Goal	Prompt Addition
Higher quality	"detailed," "8K," "professional," "award-winning"
Specific style	"in the style of [artist]," "[art movement] style"
Composition	"close-up," "wide shot," "aerial view," "portrait orientation"
Mood	"dramatic," "peaceful," "vibrant," "melancholic"

AI Image Editing

Beyond generation, AI can edit existing images:

Background Removal

• One-click removal of backgrounds
• Tools: Canva, Remove.bg, Photoshop

Object Removal/Addition

• Remove unwanted elements
• Add elements that weren't there
• Tools: Photoshop (Generative Fill), DALL-E editing

Style Transfer

• Apply artistic styles to photos
• Transform photos into paintings
• Tools: Prisma, Midjourney

Upscaling

• Increase image resolution
• Add detail to low-quality images
• Tools: Topaz, various AI upscalers

Face Enhancement

• Improve photo quality
• Fix old or damaged photos
• Tools: Remini, MyHeritage

Practical Applications

Business Use

• Product mockups before manufacturing
• Marketing visuals and social media content
• Presentation graphics
• Website imagery

Creative Projects

• Book covers and illustrations
• Album art
• Game concept art
• Personal art projects

Productivity

• Quick visualizations of ideas
• Presentation enhancements
• Social media content
• Blog post images

Limitations and Challenges

Technical Limitations

• Hands and fingers: Often distorted or extra fingers
• Text in images: Usually garbled (though improving)
• Specific faces: Can't reliably recreate specific people
• Complex scenes: May have logical inconsistencies
• Consistency: Hard to create consistent characters across images

Ethical Concerns

• Art and copyright: Trained on artists' work without permission
• Misinformation: Fake photos of real events
• Job displacement: Impact on artists and designers
• Deepfakes: Creating fake images of real people
• Consent: Generating images of people without permission

Legal Considerations

• Copyright: Who owns AI-generated images?
• Commercial use: Some tools have restrictions
• Training data: Ongoing lawsuits about using copyrighted art

Best Practices

For Quality

1. Iterate: Your first prompt rarely produces the best result
2. Use negative prompts: Specify what you don't want
3. Generate variations: Create multiple options
4. Edit after: Use image editing to perfect AI outputs

For Ethics

1. Don't create harmful content: No deepfakes of real people
2. Be transparent: Disclose AI-generated images when appropriate
3. Respect artists: Don't clone specific artists' styles for profit
4. Consider context: AI images in news vs. art have different stakes

For Business

1. Check terms of service: Understand commercial use rights
2. Have backup plans: Don't rely solely on AI
3. Maintain quality control: Review all AI outputs
4. Stay informed: Rules and tools change rapidly

Key Takeaways

• AI can generate images from text with remarkable quality
• Major tools include DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and Adobe Firefly
• Prompt engineering significantly affects output quality
• AI can also edit images: removing backgrounds, objects, and enhancing quality
• There are limitations (hands, text, consistency) and ethical concerns (copyright, deepfakes)
• Commercial use and copyright questions are still evolving

What's Next

Images are just one form of media AI can handle. In the next lesson, we'll explore AI for audio and video.