FREE Midjourney?! Meet Flux: The AI Image Generator That Changes Everything!

Theoretically Media
5 Aug 202412:43

TLDRFlux, a new open-source and free AI image generator from Black Forest Labs, is being hailed as a potential 'mid-journey killer'. Created by ex-Stability AI employees, Flux offers three versions: Pro for commercial use, Dev for developers, and Schnell for speed. It excels in photorealism, text generation within images, and character illustrations. Despite current limitations like lack of upscaling and inpainting, Flux's integration with platforms like Hugging Face and Wand indicates a promising future, especially with upcoming video capabilities.

Takeaways

  • 🌟 Flux is a new AI image generator from Black Forest Labs, created by ex-Stability AI employees.
  • 🔥 It's being compared to Midjourney, but is considered by some as what Stable Diffusion 3 should have been.
  • 📊 Flux outperforms models like Stable Diffusion 3 Ultra, Midjourney V6, and Dolly 3, according to benchmarking charts.
  • 👔 The AI generates impressively realistic images, such as a man in a blue business suit with good depth of field and textures.
  • 🎨 Flux offers three different versions: Flux Pro (commercial use), Dev model (non-commercial), and Flux Schnell (fast processing).
  • 🌈 Flux Pro and Dev models tend to be more photorealistic, while Flux Schnell has a more saturated, HDR-like look.
  • 🎬 Flux excels in generating cinematic and photographic styles, with naturalistic results and good attention to detail.
  • 📜 One of Flux's advancements is its ability to generate text within an image, with varied fonts and styles.
  • 🚫 Currently, Flux has limitations such as no upscaling, inpainting, or image-to-image functionality.
  • 💻 Running Flux locally can be done through Pinocchio, with instructions and models available for download.
  • 🔮 The Black Forest team has plans for video generation with Flux, showing promising examples of its capabilities.

Q & A

  • What is Flux and what makes it significant in the AI image generation field?

    -Flux is a new, free, and open-source AI image generator developed by Black Forest Labs, created by ex-Stability AI employees. It's significant because it is considered to be what Stable Diffusion 3 should have been, offering high-quality image generation with potential that is currently being explored and expanded upon due to its open-source nature.

  • How does Flux compare to other AI image generators like Mid Journey and Stable Diffusion 3 in terms of performance?

    -According to the benchmarking charts provided in the script, Flux 1.0 outperforms models such as Stable Diffusion 3 Ultra, Mid Journey V6, and Dolly 3, indicating its superior performance in AI image generation tasks.

  • What are the different versions of Flux that are available for use?

    -There are three versions of Flux available: Flux Pro, which is the top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art version suitable for commercial use; the Dev model, which uses developer weights and is a non-commercial model; and Flux Schnell, which is designed for speed.

  • How does Flux handle the generation of text within an image?

    -Flux has the ability to generate text within an image, varying the fonts and styles used. It can contextually place text into an image, making it a versatile tool for creating images with textual elements.

  • What are some limitations of Flux currently?

    -As of the time of the script, Flux does not have upscaling or inpainting capabilities, and it cannot perform image-to-image generation. However, these limitations are expected to be addressed in the future due to the open-source nature of the tool.

  • How can users start using Flux today?

    -Users can start using Flux by heading over to Hugging Face to use the Schnell and Dev models, or by visiting fall.a to use the Pro model. Both platforms offer free credits to begin with, and the pricing for continued use is relatively low.

  • What is the significance of Flux being open source?

    -Being open source means that Flux can be modified and improved by the community, leading to rapid development and innovation. This also implies that limitations and features can be addressed and enhanced by a wide range of contributors.

  • Can Flux generate images with a cinematic style or aesthetic?

    -Yes, Flux is capable of generating images with a cinematic style, as demonstrated by the examples in the script, which include images that have depth of field, background blur, and other cinematic qualities.

  • What are some of the future developments anticipated for Flux?

    -One of the future developments anticipated for Flux is its integration into platforms like Wand, which will allow for more advanced image manipulation and inpainting. Additionally, the Black Forest team is working on video capabilities for Flux.

  • How can users who want to run Flux locally get started?

    -For local use, users can start by installing Pinocchio and Comfy UI. They can then download the desired Flux model through the provided URL and use the web UI to generate images with custom prompts.

  • What is the community's response to Flux and its capabilities?

    -The community has responded positively to Flux, showcasing a range of outputs that demonstrate its capabilities in various styles and applications, from character illustrations to photorealistic images.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Introduction to Flux AI Image Generator

The video script introduces Flux, an exciting new open-source and free AI image generator from Black Forest Labs, created by ex-Stability AI employees. The narrator discusses the initial comparisons to Mid Journey and emphasizes the potential of Flux, highlighting its capabilities and the fact that it's not a direct competitor but an improvement on what Stable Diffusion 3 should have been. Benchmarking charts are mentioned to show Flux's performance against other models like Stable Diffusion 3 Ultra and Mid Journey V6. The script also includes a brief mention of the team's previous work and a teaser of the AI-generated image examples to follow.

05:01

🎨 Exploring Flux's Image Generation Capabilities

This paragraph delves into the detailed capabilities of Flux, showcasing its ability to generate high-quality images with natural depth of field and realistic textures. The narrator compares Flux's output to Mid Journey V6, noting the improved character dynamics and lighting effects. The script also discusses the different 'flavors' of Flux available for use, including Flux Pro for commercial use, the dev model for developers, and Flux Schnell for speed. Examples of Flux's output are provided, highlighting the photorealistic and cinematic styles, as well as its performance in generating images with text, varying fonts, and styles.

10:05

📈 Flux's Text Generation and Community Showcase

The script highlights Flux's advanced text generation within images, demonstrating its ability to vary fonts and styles, and contextualize text effectively. It also touches on the limitations of text generation, such as the inability to handle large amounts of text in a single generation. The community's outputs are showcased, displaying Flux's versatility in creating character illustrations, stylized images, and even handling complex subjects like hands playing musical instruments. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the limitations of Flux in terms of upscaling and inpainting, and the anticipation of future improvements as the technology evolves.

🛠️ Getting Started with Flux and Future Prospects

The final paragraph provides guidance on how to start using Flux, suggesting platforms like Hugging Face and Fall for generating images with different models of Flux. It discusses the affordability and the lack of a recurring subscription, making Flux accessible for users. The script also covers the option to run Flux locally via Pinocchio and Comfy UI, with a note on potential installation challenges. The paragraph wraps up with a look towards the future, hinting at the team's upcoming projects, particularly the integration of video capabilities, and encourages viewers to share their thoughts on Flux in the comments.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡AI Image Generator

An AI image generator refers to artificial intelligence software capable of creating images based on textual descriptions or prompts. In the video, Flux is introduced as a new AI image generator that has the potential to revolutionize the field with its open-source and free nature, allowing users to generate images without a waitlist.

💡Mid Journey

Mid Journey is likely a reference to the popular AI image generator, Midjourney, which is often compared to other AI tools in the market. The script suggests that Flux has been dubbed a 'mid Journey killer,' implying it could be a strong competitor or replacement, though the narrator does not necessarily agree with this claim.

💡Flux

Flux is the central subject of the video, an AI image generator developed by Black Forest Labs. It is described as being open source and free, with the potential to change the landscape of AI imagery. The video discusses its capabilities, performance, and different models like Flux Pro, dev model, and Flux Schnell.

💡Black Forest Labs

Black Forest Labs is the developer of Flux, an AI image generator. The script mentions that the team behind Flux includes ex-Stability AI employees, indicating a strong background in AI technology. The name Black Forest is also humorously connected to German heritage, including references to fast ('schnell') and cultural elements like chocolate and fairy tales.

💡Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion is another AI model mentioned in the script, which had a messy release according to the narrator. Flux is positioned as an improvement over what Stable Diffusion 3 should have been, suggesting that Flux addresses some of the issues or limitations of Stable Diffusion.

💡Benchmarking Charts

Benchmarking charts are used in the video to compare the performance of Flux with other models like Stable Diffusion 3 Ultra and Mid Journey V6. These charts are a common way to evaluate and demonstrate the capabilities and efficiency of AI models in a visual and comparative manner.

💡Photorealism

Photorealism in the context of AI image generation refers to the ability of the AI to create images that closely resemble real photographs. The video script highlights that Flux's developer and Pro models tend to produce more photorealistic results, indicating a high level of detail and realism in the generated images.

💡Text Generation

Text generation within an image is one of Flux's touted features. The video demonstrates how Flux can generate text that varies in fonts and styles, adding a layer of realism to the images. This feature is showcased with examples like 'Tim's Bar and Grill' and a media t-shirt design.

💡Hugging Face

Hugging Face is mentioned as a platform where users can try out Flux, specifically the Schnell and dev models, for free. It is a community for AI models where users can experiment with different AI tools, including Flux, without incurring costs initially.

💡Pinocchio

Pinocchio is referred to as a tool for running AI models locally on one's computer. The video script suggests that it can be used to download and use Flux models like dev or Schnell, although the installation process is not detailed in the video. It is part of the process for users who want to work with Flux offline.

💡Open Source

Being open source means that the Flux AI image generator's code is publicly accessible, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute the software. The video emphasizes this aspect of Flux, suggesting that it will lead to rapid development and innovation within the AI imagery community.

Highlights

Flux is a new AI image generator from Black Forest Labs, created by ex-Stability AI employees.

Flux is open source and free, with no waitlist.

Flux is being compared to Midjourney, but is considered more of an evolution of Stable Diffusion 3.

Flux is designed to be what Stable Diffusion 3 should have been.

Flux outperforms models like Stable Diffusion 3 Ultra, Mid Journey V6, and Dolly 3 in benchmarking charts.

Flux generates high-quality images with depth of field and natural textures.

Flux Pro is the top-of-the-line version available for commercial use.

Flux Dev is the non-commercial model with developer weights.

Flux Schnell is a fast version of the model, reflecting the German origin of the name.

Flux excels in generating images with photographic and cinematic styles.

Flux has the ability to generate text within an image, with varied fonts and styles.

Flux is strong in generating hands and fingers, with accurate hand placement.

Flux has limitations currently, such as no upscaling or inpainting within the tool.

Flux's open-source nature means limitations will likely be addressed quickly by the community.

Flux can be used on platforms like Hugging Face and Fall.ai, with varying levels of access and pricing.

Running Flux locally is possible through Pinocchio, though installation can be complex.

Flux is expected to integrate with other platforms and workflows, such as WAND's in-painting feature.

Black Forest Labs is working on video capabilities for Flux, with impressive early examples.