Table of Contents for What is Stable Diffusion and How Does it Work?:
- What is Stable Diffusion?
- Step-by-step guide for Stable Diffusion
- Advantages and disadvantages of the AI image generator Stable Diffusion
- Copyrights of AI-generated content
- Alternatives to Stable Diffusion?
- Stable Diffusion vs. AI Midjourney
- Conclusion
- FAQ
What is Stable Diffusion?
Stable Diffusion is an AI image generator that generates digital images based on prompts, i.e. instructions in text form. The application was developed by Stability AI, a London-based start-up that has been in existence since 2020.
Runway ML, EleutherAI, the German company LAION and a research group from LMU Munich contributed to the company's AI image generator. The first version of the tool was released in August 2022.
It is open source software. This means that users can build on the existing code and develop it further. The whole thing is based on a deep learning system, i.e. a deep neural network consisting of several layers that make it possible to recognize and "learn" complex patterns and relationships in data sets.
This tool combines image recognition and speech recognition: The AI recognizes the voice commands that users enter and selects the matching elements from an existing image database.
The AI was trained with an extremely large number of images, each of which was given a suitable term and subjected to a latent diffusion model process. Diffusion means that an image is created from a pattern (dots or pixels) and the corresponding program recognizes the defined aspects of the image.
The AI therefore creates "new" images based on millions of known images that the tool was fed with.
Models of Stable Diffusion 3.5
The latest version of Stable Diffusion, Stable Diffusion 3.5, offers users three different models:
- Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large: 3.5 Large is the basic model of the latest Stable Diffusion version and creates images with high-quality resolution and a size of one megapixel.
- Stable Diffusion 3.5 Large Turbo: This model is characterized by fast speeds and is best suited if you want to generate images in a short time. It's faster than the Large model, but may lose quality.
- Stable Diffusion 3.5 Medium: You will find the middle ground between fast implementation and qualitative results in the Medium model.
Step-by-step instructions for stable diffusion
How To Access Stable Diffusion?
Stable Diffusion can be accessed in various ways. You can access the tool as follows:
- Dream Studio: Dream Studio by Stability AI is based on Stable Diffusion and can be used as an image generation tool. This way, you can easily access Stable Diffusion without having to install the software or connect to a third-party provider. The first 100 credits are free.
- Hugging Face Hub: You can also use Stable Diffusion free of charge via Hugging Face.
- Other third-party providers: There are also other third-party providers, such as Fireworks AI, DeepInfra, Stability AI API, that offer access to Stable Diffusion.
- API-based use: If you are familiar with programming, you can connect the Stable Diffusion API to a software or web service.
- Own installation: Alternatively, you can also download the software from GitHub and install it on your device.
How Does Stable Diffusion Work?
As you can see, there are several ways to generate images with Stable Diffusion. For this guide, we will show you how to use Stable Diffusion with DreamStudio.
Step 1:
Open Dream Studio.
Step 2:
Click on "Try Dream Studio Beta".
Dream Studio Homepage
Step 3:
Register with your email address. You will then automatically receive 100 free credits. To generate more images, you can also pay a fee for a monthly subscription.
Subscription models from Dream Studio
Step 4:
After registering your e-mail address, you can start generating images. Enter your prompt, i.e. the text command, in the text field provided. You can also specify how many images should be generated and in what ratio.
Text input
Step 5:
Important to know: The quality of the prompt is directly related to the quality of the result. The more precisely you formulate, the more accurate the output you get. Because not everyone is a gifted prompt engineer, Stability AI has published a prompt guide.
The prompts should be as detailed as possible. However, keep in mind that keywords achieve better results than fully formulated sentences.
Once you have entered your prompt, the tool provides you with four image variants. You can use these variants to continue working with it.
Results of Stable Diffusion
AI generated image from Danthree Studio
Advantages and disadvantages of the AI image generator Stable Diffusion
First of all, it sounds relatively easy to generate usable images with this tool. And it is. You just need to be able to write clear prompts that the tool understands. This way you can generate image material in sufficient resolution for free and with a manageable amount of time.
But this is where the problems begin: The 3D footage is usable, but don't be fooled and think it's outstanding image material. The resolution is good but not excellent. The more specific you want your results to be, the more time-consuming it becomes to generate the material. At a certain point, the time required is no longer manageable.
And then there is still the problem that Stable Diffusion can only create images based on existing content. It is therefore not possible to create something completely new.
The biggest advantages of Stable Diffusion are that the tool is free to use and intuitive.
Advantages at a glance:
- Easy to use
- Good resolution (for most purposes)
- Free of charge
Disadvantages at a glance:
- Can be time-consuming
- Partially faulty outputs
- The resolution is not high enough for some purposes
- Legal concerns
- Can only create images on basics
Copyrights of AI-generated content
What about copyrights and rights of use? First of all, the legislation varies in the different countries where the tool is available. Some people argue that the person generating the image should have the copyright, whereas others say the copyright should belong to the AI program.
Therefore, it's completely understandable that companies are very hesitant to use AI-generated content. This is because the rights to use artistic and creative content can only be granted by those who hold the copyright.
And, as already mentioned, this is not the case at the moment. However, some AI tools offer licenses for commercial use. However, you could experience copyright infringement if the generated image looks too similar to existing content.
To avoid legal problems, we advise you to edit the results manually before publishing. Of course, editing may require a little more effort and is not quite as easy. For help, feel free to contact our CGI agency!
Alternatives to Stable Diffusion
There are indeed some AI image generators that you can try out as an alternative. Artbreeder is one of them, DeepAI and DALL-E are other possibilities. Craiyon, NightCafe and Visionist are also more or less suitable for generating image material. However, AI Midjourney is probably the best-known representative among AI image generators.
Stable Diffusion vs. AI Midjourney
The first striking point is that Stable Diffusion can be used free of charge, which is not the case with Midjourney AI v.61. To use Midjourney, you have to pay for a monthly subscription, costing between 8 and 120 USD depending on the amount of images you want to generate.
However, Midjourney AI impresses with its ease of use and high-quality resolution. While Midjourney automatically implements detailed textures, lighting and other details, Stable Diffusion requires more precise prompts to achieve a comparable resolution. On the other hand, Stable Diffusion gives you more control over the generation process and allows you to choose between different models.
Another important point is privacy. When generating content with AI Midjourney, the generated image does not belong to you. AI Midjourney reserves the right to show your generated materials as an example in the gallery. This means that the 3D images are accessible to all interested parties, who can also continue to work with them. If you want to generate more than just a handful of images and use them commercially, you will need to purchase one of the more expensive subscriptions. Privacy also costs money.
Conclusion
Generating images using AI has become much easier in recent years. The technology is making enormous progress. In fact, the development of tools is ahead of the formation of opinion in society - we simply don't know today how we should deal with this image material legally and morally.
The image material is not curated, which is why there may also be offensive material. You should not expect unique image material that is tailored to your application.
You can't even expect flawless images, because horses with five legs and similar mistakes occur time and again. Also, algorithmic bias results in a lack of diversity in terms of skin color, nationalities, etc.
If the result is still sufficient for you, there is no reason not to use Stable Diffusion or a comparable tool.
AI image generators will not disappear again, but will find and maintain their place in the creative industries. Of course, the programmers of AI tools also recognize the current problems and are working to improve the results. It is therefore time to look at AI tools from a technical, ethical, user and legal perspective.
However, if you want to create completely new images, for example product images for your marketing, Stable Diffusion is not the right choice. In this case, however, we can help: Our CGI agency Danthree Studio can create product visualizations and animations of home & living items, interiors and furniture that are completely unique and legally compliant. Contact us for a free initial consultation!
