Microsoft has announced the release of two new products that harness the power of DALL-E 2, the latest version of its generative AI model that can create images from text descriptions. The products are Designer and Image Creator and are intended to help users create stunning images for their projects, presentations and websites.
Designer is a web-based tool that allows users to enter a text description of what they want to create and then choose from a variety of styles, layouts and colors. Designer will then generate a high-quality image that matches the user’s specifications, which can be downloaded or edited further. Designer can also suggest alternative text descriptions based on the user’s input, to help you explore different possibilities.
Image Creator is a desktop application that gives users more control and flexibility over the image creation process. Users can use Image Creator to adjust DALL-E 2 parameters such as resolution, diversity and consistency of generated images. Image Creator also allows users to combine multiple text descriptions into one image or generate multiple images from one text description. Users can also import their own images and use them as backgrounds or overlays for the generated images.
Both Designer and Image Creator run on DALL-E 2, which is an enhanced version of DALL-E, the original generative AI model that Microsoft released in 2020. DALL-E 2 has been trained on a larger, more diverse data set of text and image pairs, allowing it to generate more realistic and diverse images. DALL-E 2 can also handle more complex and abstract text descriptions, such as metaphors, analogies and emotions.
Microsoft says Designer and Image Creator are designed to democratize access to generative artificial intelligence technology and enable users to unleash their creativity and imagination. The products are available for free for personal use and for a subscription fee for commercial use. Microsoft also says it is committed to ensuring that the products are used in an ethical and responsible manner, and has implemented safeguards and guidelines to prevent misuse and abuse.
Microsoft is making a major investment in DALL-E 2, OpenAI’s AI-powered system that generates images from text, bringing it into proprietary apps and services. During its Ignite conference this week, Microsoft announced that it is integrating DALL-E 2 with the recently announced Microsoft Designer app and Image Creator tool in Bing and Microsoft Edge.
With the advent of DALL-E 2 and open source alternatives such as Stable Diffusion in recent years, AI image generators have skyrocketed in popularity. In September, OpenAI said that more than 1.5 million users were actively creating more than 2 million images a day with DALL-E 2, including artists, creative directors and authors. Brands such as Stitch Fix, Nestlé and Heinz have tested DALL-E 2 for advertising campaigns and other commercial use cases, while certain architecture firms have used DALL-E 2 and similar tools to conceptualize new buildings.
“Microsoft and OpenAI have partnered closely since 2019 to accelerate advances in AI. We have partnered with OpenAI to responsibly develop, test and scale the latest AI technologies,” Liat Ben-Zur, executive vice president of modern life, search and devices at Microsoft, told TechCrunch via email. “Microsoft is OpenAI’s exclusive provider of cloud computing services and is OpenAI’s preferred partner for commercializing new AI technologies. We have started doing this through programs like Azure OpenAI Service and GitHub Copilot, and will continue to explore solutions that leverage the power of AI and advanced natural language generation.”
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how Microsoft is leveraging DALL-E 2 to enhance its products and services, and what benefits it can bring to users and developers.
Microsoft Designer: a new application for creating stunning images
Microsoft Designer is a new application that allows users to create professional-looking images with just a few clicks. Users can simply type in a description of what they want to create, such as “a logo for a coffee shop” or “a poster for a music festival,” and DALL-E 2 will generate several images that match the text. Users can then customize the images by changing colors, fonts, shapes and other elements.
Microsoft Designer works with DALL-E 2’s ability to understand natural language and generate high-quality images from text. DALL-E 2 can handle complex and creative requests, such as “a cat in a suit and tie” or “a skyscraper made of cheese”. DALL-E 2 can also generate images that combine multiple concepts, such as “a pineapple pizza with pepperoni and mushrooms” or “a unicorn with wings and horns”.
Microsoft Designer is designed to help users create attractive images for a variety of purposes, such as presentations, social media posts, brochures, newsletters and more. Users can also export their creations to other Microsoft applications, such as PowerPoint, Word, Outlook and Teams.
Image Creator: a new tool to generate images in Bing and Microsoft Edge
Image Creator is a new tool that allows users to generate images in Bing and Microsoft Edge using natural language. Users can simply type a query in the search bar, such as “a dog with sunglasses” or “a landscape with mountains and lakes,” and Image Creator will display several images that match the query. Users can then select the image they like best or refine their query to get more results.
Image Creator works with DALL-E 2’s ability to generate diverse and realistic images from text. DALL-E 2 can generate images that are relevant to the user’s query, such as “a map of Europe” or “a diagram of a human heart”. DALL-E 2 can also generate novel and surprising images, such as “a dinosaur playing soccer” or “a cake in the shape of a guitar”.
Image Creator is designed to help users find the perfect image for their needs, whether they are looking for inspiration, information or entertainment. Users can also save the generated images to their devices or share them with others.
The benefits of DALL-E 2 for users and developers
By integrating DALL-E 2 with its proprietary applications and services, Microsoft aims to provide users with a new way to create and find images using natural language. This can offer several benefits for users, such as:
– Save time and effort: users can create or search for images quickly and easily without having to use complex tools or navigate through thousands of results.
– Enhanced creativity: users can explore their imagination and generate unique and original images.
– Improved communication: users can express their ideas more clearly and effectively using visual elements that match their words.
DALL-E 2 can also benefit developers who want to create applications that use natural language and image generation. By using Microsoft’s cloud computing services, developers can access the capabilities of DALL-E 2 without having to worry about the technical challenges of scaling and deploying AI models. Developers can also leverage Microsoft’s expertise and experience in developing and testing AI solutions that are ethical and responsible.
Conclusion
Microsoft is making a major investment in DALL-E 2, OpenAI’s AI-powered system that generates images from text, bringing it into proprietary apps and services. Microsoft announced that it is integrating DALL-E 2 with the recently launched Microsoft Designer app and Image Creator tool in Bing and Microsoft Edge. These products enable users to create and find images using natural language, which can save time, enhance creativity and improve communication.
Developers can also use Microsoft’s cloud computing services to access the capabilities of DALL-E 2 and create applications that use natural language and image generation. Microsoft is committed to exploring solutions that harness the power of AI and advanced natural language generation, in partnership with OpenAI.
