Summary

Midjourney has released Version 5 of its AI image generation algorithm, which significantly improves the realism of images, including the notoriously challenging rendering of hands.

Abstract

Midjourney's AI image generation has taken a significant leap forward with the release of Version 5. This update builds upon the advancements of the previous version, v4, and showcases remarkable improvements in the realism of generated images, particularly in the depiction of hands. The author notes the AI's previous struggles with rendering hands accurately, but v5 has addressed this issue, producing more realistic and convincing imagery across various subjects, including people, architecture, and movie monsters. The article highlights the potential impact on photography and ethics, as AI-generated images become increasingly indistinguishable from real photographs, potentially leading to concerns over authenticity and misrepresentation. The author praises the platform's progress and encourages users to try out v5 on Midjourney's Discord by adjusting their settings or using the --v 5 prompt command.

Opinions

The author is impressed with the improvements in Midjourney v5, especially the more realistic rendering of hands.
There is an acknowledgment that AI-generated images are becoming so realistic that they may be mistaken for genuine photographs, which raises ethical concerns.
The author refers to the evolution of the term used to describe the art of crafting prompts for AI, from "promptism" to "synthography," and expresses reservations about the new term.
The article suggests that the realism of AI-generated portraits could lead to photographers faking scenes and potentially submitting AI images to newspapers as real.
The author expresses optimism about the future of AI image generation while also recognizing the challenges it poses in distinguishing real from artificial.
The author encourages Midjourney users to engage with the new version and share their experiences.

Midjourney v5 Is a Step Closer to Reality

The new version of the AI image generator went live today

Futuristic city, made by author using Midjourney v5

Today, Midjourney dropped Version 5 of its AI imaging algorithm, and so far the results are spectacular — even the hands.

The update is an improvement from the impressive v4, which was a big leap from v3. In short, since I joined Midjourney in September 2022, the platform has made massive strides. As you might’ve heard, AI is notoriously bad at rendering hands, but Midjourney v5 has it nailed — well, almost:

As you can see, the new version added an extra finger on one hand. Made by author using Midjourney v5

However, it’s quite an improvement from hands in Midjourney v3 (generated by author)

I tried a few other samples once I switched to v5 in Midjourney’s settings. Each result drew a silent “wow” from me as I sit alone in my office. From people to movie monsters to architecture, v5 creates more realistic images than previous versions without complicated prompts. (Side note, what was temporarily known as promptism is now being referred to as “synthography”, and I’m not sure how I feel about that yet.)

Portraits creepily realistic

Folks, this is a game changer. A few days ago I could tell in a moment which “portraits” were made using AI. But even earlier algorithms are pretty convincing — there was even a popular photographer on Instagram that admitted faking his portrait photography.

Made by author using Midjourney v5. I would pay for this light during a photoshoot.

This is a concern of incredible photojournalist Suzanne Stein (that you should check out), who worries if photographers will fake scenes using artificial intelligence instead of doing the work to “be there.” Pretty soon people will be submitting AI-generated images to newspapers, hoping to pass them off as real and get paid (if they haven’t tried already.)

This may even have implications for the paparazzi, as illustrated by my Midjourney v5 prompt of a celebrity:

Taylor Swift out for a stroll. By author using Midjourney v5

Anyways, I didn’t come here to discuss ethics, and I hope newspaper editors and people in general are smart enough to spot what’s real. As AI gets better, it will become harder to know when you’ve been duped online.

Another giant (artificial) leap for mankind

Here’s another comparison to v3 to show how far the platform has come:

Cyberpunk woman made by author using Midjourney v3

Cyberpunk woman made by author using Midjourney v5

I really just came here today to announce that Midjourney has done it again, and that its platform worth subscribing to (if you haven’t already.) Apparently v5 had a few hiccups, and it wasn’t working the first time I tried it today. But whatever the bug was, it seems to be fixed. So get to it!

A movie monster made by author using Midjourney v5

Simple go into your /settings on Midjourney’s Discord and select version 5, or add — v 5 after any prompt.

If you’re a Midjourney user, let me know what you think of v5 in the comments.