Google's Imagen 4 text-to-image model promises 'significantly improved' boring images

The new Imagen 4 Ultra model allows more precision in your prompts.

Google

Google has unveiled its latest text-to-image model Imagen 4 with the usual promise of "significantly improved text rendering" over the previous version, Imagen 3. The company also introduced a new deluxe version called Imagen 4 Ultra designed to follow more precise text prompts if you're willing to pay extra. Both arrive to a paid preview in the Gemini API and for limited free testing in Techlohub.

Google describes the main Imagen 4 model as "your go-to for most tasks" with a price of $.04 per image. Imagen 4 Ultra, meanwhile, is for "when you need your images to precisely follow instructions" with the promise of "strong" output results compared to other image generators like Dall-E and Midjourney. That model boosts the price by 50 percent to $.06 per image.

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The company showed off a range of images including a three-panel comic generated by Imagen 4 Ultra showing a small spaceship being attacked by a giant blue... space lizard? with some sound effects like "Crunch!" and inexplicably, "Had!!" The image followed the listed prompt beat for beat and looked okay, not unlike a toon rendering from a 3D app.

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