Best AI Art Generators of 2023: Free & Paid Text to Image Options

The use of Artificial Intelligence in generating art has revolutionized the creative world, providing a new dimension to artistic expression. An AI art generator is a computer program that uses advanced algorithms to produce original pieces of art without human intervention. These programs have the ability to create unique and stunning images that challenge our traditional understanding of creativity.

This article provides an in-depth and extended analysis of the best AI art generators available today. We will delve into the specifics of each generator, including its features, performance, and overall quality. By the end of this article, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the top AI art generators and their potential applications. Moreover, we have also included example art images from each AI art generator collected during our extensive testing.

AI art generators have revolutionized the world of art and design, providing a powerful tool for artists and designers to create high-quality and unique art quickly and easily. But with a wide range of AI art generators available, each with its own unique features, styles, and functionality, it can be difficult to identify the right one for your specific needs as there is no shortage of options for artists and designers to explore.

Therefore, we have extensively tested numerous AI art generators to create this curation. Whether you are a professional artist looking for new tools to enhance your creativity or a beginner looking to experiment with new ideas, this article will help you find the best AI art generator for your use cases.

Best AI Art Generators

1. Midjourney - Overall best AI art generator

Pros:

• Consistently generates high-quality images (no duds)
• Generated images are artistically composed
• Great at generating both artistic and photorealistic image 

Cons:

• Discord image generation process may be difficult at first for some new users
• Currently no free options

Key Features:

• Uses a superior deep-learning model when compared to other AI art generators
• Offers a variety of customization options for pre and post-image generation
• Generates multiple variations based on the prompt
• Allows for upscaling and creating more variations

Midjourney is a sophisticated and impressive text-to-image AI art generator that consistently produces mesmerizing and visually stunning art and images. The generated art variations are almost always well-artistically composed, surreal, and beautiful. You then have the option to upscale or create more variations from the results batch. As well as having the option to rate the generated images.

The main problem with Midjourney is that at first glance, its discord-based prompting interface is seemingly not user-friendly and intuitive, making it possibly overwhelming for new users. However, once you get used to it, the AI-generated art Midjourney produces is of the highest quality.

2. DALL·E 3 by OpenAI - Advanced image prompt comprehension with ChatGPT

Pros:

• Generates photorealistic images from textual input
• Advanced image prompt comprehension
• Fast art/image generation time
• Easy to use prompting and UI

Cons:

• Currently only available to ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise customers 

Key Features:

• Uses a transformer-based neural network to generate images from textual input
• DALL·E 3 is integrated with ChatGPT
• Generates images with multiple objects and complex scenes
• Generates multiple art/image variations of prompt
• Can use reference images
• Ability to edit generated images

Developed by OpenAI, DALL·E 3 uses advanced algorithms to generate unique and highly detailed images from textual descriptions. It's capable of creating a wide range of images, from realistic landscapes and animals to surreal and abstract scenes. The generated images are often highly detailed and impressive, with intricate details and vibrant colors that capture the viewer's attention.

Many text-to-image systems often overlook textual details, necessitating users to master the art of crafting effective prompts. However, with its integration with ChatGPT, DALL·E 3 marks a significant advancement in its capacity to produce images that faithfully align with the provided text. It combines concepts, attributes, and styles to create astonishing AI-generated art as well as generate photorealistic images. Overall, DALL·E 3 is an exciting and promising tool for artists, designers, and others looking to explore the creative possibilities of AI art generation easily.

3. Stable Diffusion - Powerful and stable deep learning text-to-image AI art generator

Pros:

• Highly stable deep learning model
• Generates fantastic high-quality art/images
• Completely free (public release)
• Can train your own text to image AI art generation models

Cons:

• Complex and technical tool to setup
• Requires significant computational resources (GPU with a minimum of 4GB VRAM)

Key Features:

• Text-to-image and image-to-image AI art generation
• Many model versions to choose from
• Comprehensive prompt customization and setting options
• Ability to set the height and width of generated art/images

Stable Diffusion is an impressive deep-learning model that enables the creation of stunning and intricate pieces of art using advanced algorithms. The stability, reliability, and flexibility of its text-to-image AI art generation models make it a powerful tool for generating complex and beautiful art. What sets Stable Diffusion apart is its ability to create images with incredible detail and depth, producing works of art that are both beautiful and thought-provoking such as the image above generated during our testing.

However, though you can download Stable Diffusion for free on your computer, its complexity and resource requirements may limit its accessibility for some users. This is because to run Stable Diffusion, both a strong CPU and more importantly a GPU with a minimum of 4GB VRAM is required as well as following detailed instructions on how to install and use it. But despite its complexities, once you learn how to use its vast yet intuitive prompting interface, you will find that Stable Diffusion is an amazing AI art generator for producing high-quality art and images.

4. Nightcafe - The most comprehensive text-to-image AI art generator that’s easy to use

Pros:

• Offers both Stable Diffusion and DALL-E text-to-image algorithm
• Simple and easy to use
• Can generate images quickly and efficiently
• Daily free credits
• Aspect ratio selection for generating AI art/images

Cons:

• Limited free daily credits

Key Features:

• Uses a neural network to generate images from textual input
• Offers multiple AI art generation algorithms
• Has an advanced prompt editor with multiple presets and modifiers
• Includes multiple Stable Diffusion model versions
• Can upload a reference image

Nightcafe is a comprehensive yet easy-to-use text-to-image AI art generator that produces stunning pieces of art and images. It allows users to select from multiple prominent algorithms such as Stable Diffusion, DALL-E, Style Transfer, etc. It also lets users select from multiple Stable Diffusion model versions.

Moreover, Nightcafe also offers a variety of customization options for generating AI art. These customizations include but are not limited to an advanced prompt editor with ample presets and modifiers, image aspect ratio selection, runtime selection, and more. Simply put, Nightcafe is a fantastic AI art generator that generates a wide range of images, from realistic portraits and landscapes to abstract and surreal compositions.

5. Dream by WOMBO - Best text-to-image AI art generator for phones

Pros:

• Easy-to-use AI art generator for phones
• Can generate images quickly and efficiently
• Can generate images with a variety of styles and moods

Cons:

• Only ideal for use on phones
• Sometimes doesn't generate images of the same quality as other AI art generators

Key Features:

• Uses a neural network to generate images from textual input
• Designed specifically for use on phones
• A large variety of art styles to choose from
• Can upload a reference image

Dream by WOMBO is a great text-to-image AI art generator designed specifically for use on phones. Its user-friendly interface is easy to use and can generate images quickly and efficiently making it suitable for users of all levels. It also has numerous art style presets to choose from allowing users to generate a wide variety of AI art that is uniquely aesthetic and captivates the viewer's imagination.

The image above is a vivid example of the high quality of AI art Dream by WOMBO is capable of producing. It also allows users to upload a reference image which the software analyzes and generates a stylized version of it by adding vivid colors, intricate patterns, and surreal elements. Overall, Dream by WOMBO is the best AI Art Generator for phones with endless creative possibilities.

6. Artbreeder - Best for editing generated AI images

Pros:

• Can generate and edit high-quality AI art in a variety of styles
• Offers a variety of customization options for generating images
• Can mix and match different styles and elements to create unique images

Cons:

• UX UI takes some getting used to
• Requires a subscription for full access to all features

Key Features:

• Generates unique and stunning AI art from collages of images and or shapes
• Splicer allows you to combine separate images to create new variations
• Has an AI assistant that acts as a creative director

Artbreeder AI Art Generator that allows users to generate and edit high-quality AI art in a variety of styles via a multitude of ways. This includes but is not limited to the ability to generate unique and stunning AI art from a collage of images and shapes, a splicer that allows users to combine and edit separate images to generate a new variation, and an AI assistant that acts as a creative director which generates prompts and images based what you ask it to do.

However, the UX/UI takes some getting used to, and full access to all features requires a subscription. Despite its cons, Artbreeder is a valuable tool for artists, designers, and other users looking to create uniquely beautiful AI-generated art.

7. Deep Dream Generator - A great AI generator for stunning artistic images

Pros:

• Generates stunning artistic images
• Consistently generates quality images (no duds)
• Offers a variety of customization options for the generated images

Cons:

• May take a little longer to generate images than other AI art generators
• Higher-resolution images require the use of more points (credits)
• UI needs updating

Key Features:

• Uses a convolutional neural network to generate images
• Multiple AI models to choose from
• Offers a variety of customization options
• Options to regenerate or evolve generated images as well as make them public

The Deep Dream AI Art Generator is an impressive tool that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to produce artistically mesmerizing and surreal images. The result is often a striking and thought-provoking piece of art that captures the viewer's attention and imagination. The software also uses a neural network to analyze a base image to generate a dream-like interpretation of it, adding new details and patterns to create a unique and otherworldly aesthetic.

While the numerous prompting options can take some time to master, the creative possibilities are endless, making it a valuable tool for artists and designers seeking to push the boundaries of traditional art forms. You can also use the prompts from generated images made public by other users to get a better understanding of how it works. Overall, the Deep Dream AI Art Generator is an innovative and exciting addition to the world of digital art.

8. Stablecog – All-round fantastic AI art generator experience & results

Pros:

• Quickly generates phenomenal artistic images
• Consistently produces well-composed quality art (no duds)
• Great design in terms of UX UI
• Ample free credits

Cons:

• Generated images tend to be more on the artistic side than photorealism

Key Features:

• Advanced customization options
• Offers several different types of models to choose from
• Comprehensive history of previously generated art
• Many image-generation aspect ratios to choose from

The Stablecog AI art generator is a comprehensive art generator that consistently produces high-quality art quickly. This AI art generator's user experience and interface are well-designed, making it intuitive and easy to use for beginners. Additionally, it also offers ample free credits to users.

While the generated images tend to be more on the artistic side rather than photorealistic, Stablecog's advanced customization options and ability to choose from different models allow you to consistently generate excellent AI art. Users can also view prompts and settings from previously generated art, and there are many image-generation aspect ratios to choose from. Overall, Stablecog’s AI Art Generator is an excellent tool for anyone looking to generate stunning AI artwork quickly and easily.

9. Deep AI - A highly effective free text-to-image AI art generator

Pros:

• Free and easy to use, with no registration required
• Rarely generates duds
• Open-source software
• Good UX UI

Cons:

• Limited free art/image styles to choose from

Key Features:

• Can choose from multiple art styles and image orientations
• Ability to enhance generated images
• Plans offer API access
• Custom enterprise volume pricing

Deep AI Art Generator is a web-based application that allows users to generate high-quality works of art using advanced algorithms. This user-friendly tool provides several art style options and image orientations making it easy to generate unique and beautiful art. However, the free version has great but limited styles unlocked.

Moreover, Deep AI Art Generator is quite fast in terms of the time it takes to generate images. The UX UI is also intuitive and easy to use including the ability to enhance generated art further. Overall, Deep AI Art Generator is a great option for artists, designers, developers, and anyone who wants to generate beautiful works of AI art.

10. Starryai - A great easy to use free ai art generator for web and mobile

Pros:

• Option to choose an art or photo model
• Works well with web and mobile
• Simple and easy to use
• Good UX and UI

Cons:

• Takes a little extra time to generate images
• Limited free daily credits

Key Features:

• Uses a neural network to generate images in a variety of styles
• Simple and easy to use with good UX and UI
• Users can upload a reference image
• Allows for upscaling and evolving generated images

Starryai is a great intuitive user-friendly AI art generator that generates amazing art and images in various styles. Its key features include the ability to distinctly choose between art and photo models as well as upload reference images and evolve generated images. The UX and UI are also impressive, making it easy to use for beginners.

However, generating images takes a considerable amount of time when compared to some of the other AI art generators we tested and the free version offers very limited daily credits. Overall, Starryai AI Art Generator is a great tool for generating visually stunning artistic and photorealistic AI art and images on both web and mobile.

Table of the Best AI Art Generators:

What is an AI art generator?

An AI art generator is a software or algorithm that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to create art. These generators can create a variety of artworks, from paintings to photographs to 3D models, based on the input data and the specific algorithm used. The output generated by an AI art generator can range from highly realistic images that are almost indistinguishable from human-made art to abstract and surreal pieces that challenge our perception of what constitutes art.

AI art generators have gained significant attention in recent years, as advancements in deep learning and neural networks have made it possible to create highly detailed and realistic images. While AI art generators are not yet capable of completely replacing human artists, they offer new opportunities for artists to explore new styles, techniques, and ideas that they may not have otherwise considered.

How Does An AI Art Generator Work?

AI art generators use deep learning algorithms to analyze and understand input data, such as images or text, and generate new images based on this data. These algorithms work by breaking down the input data into smaller components, such as lines, shapes, and colors, and then reassembling these components to create new images.

The process begins with training the AI algorithm on a large dataset of images, which helps the algorithm to learn the patterns and features that are common to the images. The algorithm then uses this knowledge to generate new images based on the input data provided by the user.

AI art generators can use different techniques to generate images, including generative adversarial networks (GANs), variational autoencoders (VAEs), and neural style transfer. These techniques have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, and the specific algorithm used can greatly impact the quality and style of the generated images.

How we choose these AI art generators?

This list of the best AI art generators was carefully curated based on these criteria including the quality and style of images generated, the ease of use and overall user experience of the software, the pre-image generation customization options, the speed of image generation, the post-image generation customization options, the quality of free and paid plans, and the consistency of which a quality image was produced with each generation.

We extensively tested 20 of the most popular and highly regarded AI art generators. This process took about a week to complete and we even had to purchase plans for some of these AI art generators. Taking into consideration, the wide range of features offered by each tool such as the different types of text-to-image models available, we conducted our tests by running a series of prompts editing to accommodate each AI art generator’s functionality as needed and compared the results based on the criteria above.

We conducted extensive external research to evaluate each AI art generator further to ensure that our selections are accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date. In addition to testing each of these AI art generators, we also consulted expert reviews, user feedback, and other reliable sources to compile this list of the best AI art generators.

Is AI Art Really Art?

The question of whether AI-generated art is really art is a hotly debated topic. While some people view it as a new form of creative expression, others see it as a threat to the traditional art world. One argument against considering AI art as true art is that it lacks the intentionality and creativity of human-made art. Since AI is programmed to create based on existing data, it is argued that it cannot create something truly new or original. Additionally, some argue that since AI art is created by machines, it lacks the emotional and intellectual depth that human-made art possesses.

On the other hand, proponents of AI art argue that it is a legitimate and unique form of art that reflects our ever-evolving relationship with technology. They argue that AI art can be just as creative and innovative as human-made art and that the process of creating AI art requires a high level of human involvement and creativity in programming and training the algorithms. Additionally, AI art has the potential to challenge our traditional concepts of art and creativity and push us toward new forms of expression.

Ultimately, the question of whether AI art is really art is subjective and depends on one's definition and understanding of what art is. However, it is clear that AI-generated art is a rapidly growing field that has the potential to transform the way we create and appreciate art.

Does AI Art Steal Art?

No, AI art doesn’t steal art. AI art generator models are simply tools that people can use to create new and unique artwork. These models learn from the artwork and images of others to create their own much like traditional artists do. However, this means that AI art models can be used ethically or unethically by their users.

Final Thoughts on AI Art Generators

Though there are many benefits of AI art generators, it is important to keep in mind that they are not perfect. While they are capable of producing stunning artwork, they are still limited by the algorithms and data sets used in their creation. As such, they may not always be able to accurately represent complex or abstract concepts, and they may struggle with certain styles and techniques.

However, despite their limitations, AI art generators have the potential to transform the way we create and appreciate art. They offer a new level of flexibility, speed, and accessibility, and they have the potential to democratize the world of art and design. As AI technology continues to evolve and improve, we can expect to see even more exciting advancements in the field of AI art generation in the years to come.