Open AI
On Thursday, OpenAI announced the introduction of an API for its DALL-E image synthesis model that will allow developers to easily integrate its AI image generation technology into their applications. DALL-E, currently available as a standalone commercial service, allows users to generate new 1024×1024 images from textual descriptions called “prompts”. Generated images can vary in style, from photorealistic to abstract, and many styles in between.
OpenAI’s new API allows software developers to introduce an image prompt and other parameters into OpenAI’s DALL-E engine over the Internet. OpenAI then generates the image on its servers and returns the image to display it in the requesting application. (An API is a programming interface that allows different programs to communicate with each other.)
Using the API requires registration with OpenAI and a private API key allowing access to the DALL-E generator. Additionally, OpenAI charges a fee for each generated image based on the resolution of the image. 1024×1024 frames cost $0.02 per frame, 512×512 frames cost $0.018 per frame, and 256×256 frames cost $0.016 per frame.
Open AI
Currently, Microsoft is already using the DALL-E API in closed-access trials of its new Microsoft Designer application, and Shutterstock recently announced the integration of DALL-E into its website. Additionally, OpenAI says design apps called CALA and Mixtiles also use the DALL-E API.
Since its launch in April, DALL-E and other computer-generated images, such as Stable Diffusion, have been the subject of ethical controversy due to built-in biases, the ability to potentially generate harmful images, and the fact that these generative AI models were trained using human-made artwork without the consent of the individual artist. However, OpenAI implements filters that restrict the generation of nudity, “hate symbols”, and violence in an effort to keep the service acceptable to a mass audience.
It’s worth noting that Stable Diffusion has been available as open source since August, and developers have already integrated this technology into their applications without the individual image generation costs, filters, or content policy restrictions that come with the API. OpenAI’s DALL-E if running. locally. However, Stability AI also offers its own DreamStudio API for a fee that comes with its own content moderation tools.
As the competition between AI image synthesis models continues to heat up, developers now have more choice on which model they can incorporate into their products.