Midjourney Unveils V7: A Leap Forward in AI Image Generation

Midjourney introduces first new image generation model in over a year

AI image generator Midjourney released its first new model in quite some time today; dubbed V7, it's a ground-up rework that is available in alpha to users now. There are two areas of improvement in V7: the first is better images, and the second is new tools and workflows. Starting with the image improvements, V7 promises much higher coherence and consistency for hands, fingers, body parts, and "objects of all kinds." It also offers much more detailed and realistic textures and materials, like skin wrinkles or the subtleties of a ceramic pot. Those details are often among the most obvious telltale signs that an image has been AI-generated. To be clear, Midjourney isn't claiming to have made advancements that make AI images unrecognizable to a trained eye; it's just saying that some of the messiness we're accustomed to has been cleaned up to a significant degree. On the features side, the star of the show is the new "Draft Mode." On its various communication channels with users (a blog, Discord, X, and so on), Midjourney says that "Draft mode is half the cost and renders images at 10 times the speed." However, the images are of lower quality than what you get in the other modes, so this is not intended to be the way you produce final images. Rather, it's meant to be a way to iterate and explore to find the desired result before switching modes to make something ready for public consumption. V7 comes with two modes: turbo and relax. Turbo generates final images quickly but is twice as expensive in terms of credit use, while relax mode takes its time but is half as expensive. There is currently no standard mode for V7, strangely; Midjourney says that's coming later, as it needs some more time to be refined.

Midjourney releases its first new AI image model in nearly a year | TechCrunch

Midjourney, one of the earliest AI image-generating services on the web, has released its first new AI image model in nearly a year. Dubbed V7, the model, which began rolling out in alpha around midnight Eastern on Friday, comes a week after OpenAI debuted a new image generator in ChatGPT that quickly went viral for its ability to create Ghibli-style photos. Midjourney's is not a Ghibli-optimized model -- at least not officially -- but nonetheless generates aesthetically pleasing works, at least to this reporter's dilettante eye. To use it, you'll first have to rate around 200 images to build a Midjourney "personalization" profile if you haven't already. This profile tunes the model to your individual visual preferences; V7 is Midjourney's first to have personalization switched on by default. Once you've completed that task, you'll be greeted with a togglable V7 on Midjourney's website and, if you're a member of Midjourney's Discord server, on its Discord chatbot. In the web app, you can quickly select the model from the drop-down menu next to the "version" label. Midjourney CEO David Holz described V7 as a "totally different architecture" in a post on X. "V7 is [...] much smarter with text prompts," Holz continued in an announcement on Discord. "[I]mage prompts look fantastic, image quality is noticeably higher with beautiful textures, and bodies, hands, and objects of all kinds have significantly better coherence on all details." V7 is available in two flavors, Turbo and Relax -- the former of which is more costly to run -- and powers a new tool called Draft Mode that renders images at 10x the speed and half the cost of the standard mode. Draft images are lower-quality than standard-mode images, but can be enhanced and re-rendered with a click of the mouse. A number of Midjourney capabilities aren't available yet for V7, according to Holz, including image upscaling and retexturing. Those will arrive in the near future, he said -- possibly as soon as within two months. "This is an entirely new model with unique strengths and probably a few weaknesses" Holz wrote on Discord. "[W]e want to learn from you what it's good and bad at, but definitely keep in mind it may require different styles of prompting. So play around a bit." In my brief testing, V7 adhered reasonably well to the prompts I gave it. Granted, I didn't have time to really put the model through the ringer. Midjourney is an unusual operation. Started in 2022 by Holz, who co-founded PC peripheral company Leap Motion, it hasn't taken a dime of outside money. In late 2023, Midjourney was reportedly expecting to bring in around $200 million in revenue. Recently, the San Francisco-based firm said that it was establishing a hardware team to work on undisclosed projects, and it continues to train previously announced models for video and 3D object generation. Several lawsuits accuse Midjourney of infringing on the rights of millions of artists by training AI tools on images scraped from the web without the consent of the images' creators.

I love MidJourney's latest AI image generator, but there's just one catch

Midjourney V7 offers two distinct modes with different costs and speeds. Here's how to fully unlock this new Alpha version. Midjourney has been one of my favorite AI image generators, offering rich and powerful imagery with a range of useful tools to refine your images. Now, Midjourney is out with a new version that promises to help you more easily create the right photos, drawings, artwork, and more. Announced on Friday and currently available for alpha testing, Midjourney version 7 carries with it a host of new and improved features, and ones that I'm really enjoying. To use Midjourney in the first place, you need a paid subscription. The company offers four plans, from Basic to Mega. The least expensive Basic subscription will cost you $10/month billed monthly or $8/month billed annually. After subscribing, head to the Midjourney website where you can view images created by other people and generate your own. If you've never used the service before, my story on "How to use Midjourney's website to generate amazing images with AI" should help you get started. Also: ChatGPT's new image generator shattered my expectations - and now it's free to try Midjourney V7 is much smarter at figuring out your text prompts so you no longer have to ensure your description is perfect. Simply type a basic prompt, and the AI will interpret and expand it for you. The image generator itself is faster than in previous versions. After submitting my prompt, I was amazed at how quickly the four resulting images popped up. The quality of the images is also superior. The announcement about V7 touts the quality as noticeably higher with beautiful textures, while bodies, hands, and objects are more detailed. I could see this in the images I requested. They appeared more rich and more vivid with attention paid to the details. The new version is also Midjourney's first model to offer personalization by default. This determines how well the AI understands your initial prompt and what types of images you want to see. And here is where the only catch arises. To take advantage of the personalization, you'll have to review and rate 200 images generated by other people. I shouldn't complain too much as the process typically takes five to six minutes and is certainly better than paying for the feature. But it is a step you'll have to complete to fully use the new version. Midjourney V7 offers two distinct modes with different costs and speeds. Turbo is the more expensive to run, delivers the highest quality, and takes the longest to complete. Relax mode is less expensive to run and generates your images within a few seconds. But as it creates your images using a draft style, the quality is not on par with ones devised via Turbo mode. Also: Is ChatGPT Plus worth your $20? Here's how it compares to Free and Pro plans "We think Draft mode is the best way ever to iterate on ideas," Midjourney said in its announcement. "If you like something, click 'enhance' or 'vary' on the image and it will re-render it at full quality. Please note: Draft images are lower quality than standard mode -- but the behavior and aesthetics are very consistent -- so it's a faithful way to iterate." Perhaps coolest of all is the ability to speak your prompts rather than type them. In Draft mode, select the microphone icon and dictate a description of the image you want. When done, click the microphone icon again. Midjourney interprets your prompt and creates a set of images. Some new features aren't yet available or up to snuff with the latest version. When upscaling, editing, or retexturing your image, the AI will fall back to version 6. Moodboards and SREF codes for style reference will improve in future updates. Also: The best AI image generators: Tested and reviewed Midjourney reminds people that version 7 uses a completely new model with strengths and weaknesses. But the idea behind an alpha release is to let people play with it -- to experience how it works and how it can be improved. Midjourney promises new features for v7 every week or two over the next 60 days. Next on the list will be a new character and object reference. Though Midjourney is one of the premier AI image generators, the service faces stiff competition. OpenAI's ChatGPT recently unveiled a new and improved image creation skill that has already been turning heads. Let's see if Midjourney version 7 can help it keep up with and surpass its rivals.

Midjourney launches its new V7 AI image model that can process text prompts better

It's still in alpha and is expected to receive more updates in the coming months. Midjourney has released the alpha version of V7, which it says is an "entirely new" AI image generation model and is much smarter at processing your text prompts. The image quality of its output is noticeably higher, the Midjourney team says, and can create better textures, bodies and hands. AI image generators typically struggle with creating accurate depictions of hands, but based on photos posted by some users on their socials, V7 is capable of spitting out some photorealistic images of human hands. The new model comes with a feature called "Draft Mode," which can render images at half the speed the program usually takes. Its results are rougher and less detailed, but it will cost half of what a standard generation costs. Midjourney says Draft Mode is the best way to iterate on ideas. You can use it, say, if you're collaborating with someone and just spitballing ideas with them -- it works with voice, so you don't even have to type out each other's suggestions -- or if you're unsure what kind of vibe you're going for. If you like an image Midjourney creates in Draft Mode, you can click "enhance" or "vary" on it to re-render it at full quality. At launch, V7 will have Turbo and Relax modes for standard rendering, with the former costing twice as much as a normal speed job on the V6 model. Midjourney needs more time to optimize its standard speed mode for V7, but it will make the option available in the future. The new mode is missing more capabilities, as well, including upscaling, editing and retexturing, which will fall back to the program's V6 model for now. Midjourney promises to roll out new updates for the model every week or two over the next two months. To be able to test the alpha version of V7, you'll have to unlock your personalization profile first. Midjourney describes personalization as "a style assistant for your image creations," since it teaches the AI your visual preferences. You'll have to rank at least 200 pairs of images to create a V7 Global Personalization Profile and test the model. Personalization is switched on by default for the V7, but you'll be able to switch it off if you want.

Midjourney V7 has arrived: Here's everything you need to know

Midjourney, one of the first AI image generators to emerge, has been silent for a while. But now, after over a year, they have released their latest update -- Midjourney V7. Following rapidly in the footsteps of ChatGPT's latest image model, which has gone viral for its ability to turn images into the style of Studio Ghibli, this newest version of Midjourney promises to be its most advanced yet. This latest version is designed to better understand text prompts and produce images that are noticeably higher in quality. This, as Midjourney CEO David Holz explained on the company Discord, can be seen in textures, bodies, and hands, as well as in objects. Compared to previous models of Midjourney (as well as other older AI image generators), this will mean levels of quality that are hard to identify as AI. In the past, Midjourney struggled to replicate hands or complicated shapes. V7 can be used in two different versions: Turbo (more expensive, but quicker) and Relax, the slower but more affordable option. There is also a new feature called Draft Mode that renders images at 10x the speed and half the cost of the standard mode. Draft images are, however, lower quality than standard but can be enhanced if you're happy with what is being produced. For now, a few key features will be missing from this version. Image upscaling and retexturing are notable missing pieces and won't arrive for another few months. Like ChatGPT's latest image update, there are likely to be some problems in the early stages and Midjourney could introduce or remove features to deal with an increase in traffic. However, the team behind Midjourney has noted that to use it you'll have to rate around 200 images to build a personalization of Midjourney. This tunes the model to your own preferences. While this has been possible on previous Midjourney models, this is the first time it is switched on by default. You can sign up for Midjourney via their website. V7, once you've personalized your profile through the step above, is available either via Discord or the Midjourney website.

Midjourney V7 Launches With 'Draft Mode' That Costs Less

Midjourney has released a new version of its AI image generator, V7, which is its "smartest, most beautiful, most coherent model yet." Midjourney was once at the forefront of AI image generators -- a controversial new industry that encroaches on the photography space -- having been a very early product. However, it seemingly doesn't have the influence it once did. Midjourney's V7 model is currently in its alpha phase. The company is touting a new feature called "Draft Mode" which costs less to use and is reportedly 10 times the speed. "It might be the best way to iterate on ideas ever," Midjourney says. Draft Mode works in "conversational mode" and can be controlled by the user's voice, enabling them to think out loud "and let the image flow beneath you like liquid dreams." Draft mode does produce lower-resolution images than standard mode. Midjourney V7 is the first model to have "personalization" switch on by default. To use this mode, the user must first rate 200 images. Midjourney uses this data to build a visual profile for the user. Midjourney is best known as an app available on Discord but nowadays it also has a standalone website. "V7 is much smarter with text prompts," Holz says in an announcement on Discord. "Image prompts look fantastic, image quality is noticeably higher with beautiful textures, and bodies, hands, and objects of all kinds have significantly better coherence on all details." There are still features rolling out to V7, such as image upscaling and retexturing. These will arrive in the coming months. "This is an entirely new model with unique strengths and probably a few weaknesses," Holz writes on Discord. "We want to learn from you what it's good and bad at, but definitely keep in mind it may require different styles of prompting. So play around a bit."

Midjourney V7 gives the AI image-maker power, speed, and correctly shaped hands

The new Draft Mode generates lower-quality images far faster and cheaper to allow testing Midjourney has a new model to show off to fans of the AI image generator. Midjourney V7 is the company's first new AI image model in nearly a year, and it comes with some significant upgrades and additional features. The company claims the new model is much smarter at turning your words into the images you envision, with higher-quality results that evade many of the telltale signs of artificial origins. The new model is also very focused on adapting to your personal taste. So much so that you can't even use it before you first-rate about 200 images to teach the model your aesthetic unless, of course, you've already done so. Once you've navigated through your own uncanny valley, the images Midjourney V7 serves up should appeal to you without as much massaging of your prompts. This is the first Midjourney model to have this feature on by default, as well. "[Midjourney V7 is] much smarter with text prompts, image prompts look fantastic, image quality is noticeably higher with beautiful textures, and bodies, hands and objects of all kinds have significantly better coherence on all details," Midjourney founder David Holz wrote on Discord. "We think personalization raises the bar for how well we can interpret what you want and what you find beautiful." The new Draft Mode is Midjourney's version of rough sketches on a napkin. The feature promises results fast, cheap, and just good enough to get your idea down without burning through your credits. It works like this: You type a prompt, and Midjourney will have an image for you in seconds. The image might be a bit lower-res or slightly less polished, but you can enhance it later with one click. It's AI for impatient people. Notably, Draft Mode positions Midjourney as a viable tool for professionals who need speed and the option to iterate on their ideas. This kind of flexibility could make Midjourney appealing well beyond its Discord silo. V7's boost in prompt understanding, improved anatomy, and Draft Mode all suggest that Midjourney plans to increase its efforts to compete with other AI image generators as well. It won't be as fast as Draft Mode image creation, though. OpenAI's DALL·E has deep integrations with ChatGPT and Microsoft tools, as Google's Gemini does with its ecosystem. Even so, Midjourney has always had a certain cult appeal that could mesh with its speedier model to entice many more users. If Midjourney can keep improving its speed, clarity, and output quality while keeping its signature flair, it might go mainstream without losing its indie cred. The new model has two main versions: Turbo and Relax. Turbo costs more but delivers results much faster. Relax mode, meanwhile, takes its time but is cheaper. Some features haven't made the jump to V7 just yet. There's no upscaling, inpainting, or retexturing. Holz says those will return soon, maybe within a couple of months.

Midjourney v7 launches with voice prompting and faster draft mode -- why is it getting mixed reviews?

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More Midjourney, the boot-strapped startup viewed by many AI power users as the "gold standard" of AI image generation since its launch in 2022, has now introduced the much-anticipated, most advanced version of its generator model, Midjourney v7. The headline feature is a new way to prompt the model to create images. Previously, users were limited to typing in text prompts and attaching other images to help guide generations (the model could incorporate a variety of user-uploaded and attached images, including other Midjourney generations, to influence the style and subjects of new generations). Now, the user can simply speak aloud to Midjourney's alpha website (alpha.midjourney.com) -- provided they have a microphone in/on/attached to their computer (or using a networked device with audio input, such as headphones or a smartphone) -- and the model will listen and conjure up its own text prompts based on the user's spoken audio descriptions, generating images from this. It's unclear whether or not Midjourney created a new voice input model (speech-to-text) from scratch or is using a fine-tuned or out-of-the-box version of one from another provider such as ElevenLabs or OpenAI. I asked Midjourney founder David Holz on X, but he has yet to answer. Using Draft Mode and conversational Voice Input to prompt in a flow state Going hand-in-hand with this input method is a new "Draft Mode" that generates images more rapidly than Midjourney v6.1, the most immediate preceding version, often in less than a minute or even 30 seconds in some cases. While the images are initially of lower quality than v6.1, the user can click on the "enhance" or "vary" buttons located to the right of each generation to re-render the draft at full quality. The idea is that the human user will be happy to use both together -- in fact, you need to have "Draft Mode" turned on to activate audio input -- to enter a more seamless flow state of creative drafting with the model, spending less time on refining the specific language of prompts and more on seeing new generations, reacting to them in realtime, and adjusting them or tweaking them as needed more naturally and rapidly by simply speaking the thoughts out to the model. "Make this look more detailed, darker, lighter, more realistic, more kinetic, more vibrant," etc. are some of the instructions the user could provide through the new audio interface in response to generations to produce new, adjusted ones that better match their creative vision. Getting started with Midjourney v7 To enter these modes, starting with the new "Draft" feature, the user must first jump through one new hurdle: Midjourney's personalization feature. While this feature had been introduced previously on Midjourney v6 back in June 2024, it was optional, allowing the user to create a personal "style" that could be applied to all generations going forward by rating 200 pairs of images (selecting which on the user liked best) through the Midjourney website. The user could then toggle on a style that matched the images they liked best during the pairwise rating process. Now, Midjourney v7 requires users to generate a new v7-specific personalized style before even using it at all in the first place. Once the user does that, they'll land on the familiar Midjourney Alpha website dashboard where they can click "Create" from the left side rail to open a the creation tab. Then, in the prompt entry bar at the top, the user can click on the new "P" button to the right of the bar to turn on their personalization mode. Midjourney founder and leader David Holz confirmed to VentureBeat on X that older personalization styles from v6 could also be selected, but not the separate "moodboards" -- styles made up of user-uploaded image collections -- though Midjourney's X account separately stated that feature will be returning soon as well. However, I didn't see the opportunity to select my older v6 style. Nonetheless, the user can then click on the new "Draft Mode" button to the right of the Personalization button (also further to the right of the text prompt entry box) to activate this faster image generation mode. Once that's been selected with the cursor, it will turn orange indicating it is turned on, and then a new button with a microphone icon should appear to the right of this one. This is the voice prompting mode, which the user can once again click on to activate. Once the user has pressed this microphone button to enter the voice prompting mode, they should see the microphone icon change from white to orange to indicate it is engaged, and a waveform line will appear to the right of it that should begin undulating in time with the user's speech. The model will then be able to hear you and should also hear when you finish speaking. In practice, I sometimes got an error message saying "Realtime API disconnected," but stopping and restarting the voice entry mode and refreshing the webpage usually cleared it quickly. After a few seconds of speaking, Midjourney will begin flashing some keyword windows below the prompt entry textbox at the top and also generate a full text prompt to the right as it generates a new set of 4 images based on what the user said. The user can then further modify these new generations by speaking to the model again, toggling voice mode on and off as needed. Here's a quick demo video of me using it today to generate some sample imagery. You'll see the process is far from perfect, but it is really fast and does allow for more of an interrupted state of prompting, refining, and receiving images from the model. More new features...but also many missing features and limitations from v6/6.1 Midjourney v7 is launching with two operational modes: Turbo and Relax. Turbo Mode provides high performance at twice the cost of a standard v6 job, while Draft Mode costs half as much (in terms of jobs). A standard-speed mode is currently in development and will be released once optimized. At launch, features such as upscaling, inpainting, and retexturing will temporarily rely on the v6 model. Midjourney plans to transition these functions to v7 in future updates. The company is committing to regular development over the next two months, with updates scheduled every one to two weeks. A major upcoming addition will be a new character and object reference system designed specifically for v7, features found on older versions of Midjourney by applying arcane text prompt suffixes such as -cref and -sref (for style) to tend of a user's text prompt. Midjourney plans to engage its community through public sharing spaces and feedback channels, and it will host a roadmap ranking session to help prioritize future development efforts. Midjourney emphasizes that v7 is a completely new model with its own strengths and challenges. Users are encouraged to experiment with different prompt styles and report their experiences to help refine the platform. Initial reaction is mixed...far from the near-unanimous praise of prior Midjourney releases While most of the older Midjourney releases were met with overwhelming excitement and adulation, the initial reception to v7 is decidedly more mixed. Although Midjourney was careful to call this an "alpha" release in its blog and on social media, many users still expecting a larger jump in image quality and prompt adherence (how well the image generations matched the user's specific instructions in text or audio), as well as were hoping for improved human anatomical understanding (particularly of hands, a common AI image generation issue) and text generation (also something image models have struggled with, though Ideogram and OpenAI's native GPT-4o image generator appear to get it much more consistently accurate than Midjourney v7 based on initial user reports). As @freiboitar wrote on X: "Gotta say it: kinda disappointed. OpenAI set the bar sky-high. talk to your image gen like it's your bro? Mind = blown. MJ7 looks "more realistic". but did we really need that? MJ + Magnific already nailed it. Might pause my sub tbh." "The problem is v7 doesn't really feel like v7. It feels more like v6.2," posted Magnific AI founder Javi Lopez on X, citing the incremental seeming nature of the updates. Indeed, Ethan Mollick, the Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business professor and AI influencer, also chimed in to say: "I like their new releases but the problem with the new v7 (right) released today is that v6 (left) was already really good." "Identical prompts from v6 are worse in v7," wrote self-described "AI maximalist" David Shapiro on X. "All the old Favorites that are getting way too old," said artist and musician @CaptainHaHaa: "Hands, Text still an issue, no cref, srefs have gone wack. But its ok because you can talk to it while it disappoints you." Others were more forgiving and delighted with their initial test generations on v7, with AI power user Dreaming Tulpa saying on X it had "better image quality" and was "super artistic." Similarly, AI artist and designer Tatiana Tsiguleva voiced that Midjourney v7 was a "Huge jump in quality!" It's still early days for Midjourney v7, however, and the initial reaction could swing back in either direction -- either adulation or frustration with the new model and design features. For now, it's available to anyone with a Midjourney account to begin using.

Midjourney's new image generation model announced to take on OpenAI's GPT-4o

Even though MidJourney set out to be one of the most promising image generation models in the early days of AI, it appears to have fallen behind more accessible, easy to use, and free tools such Gemini, ChatGPT, and Bing. Adding to its woes is the latest update to OpenAI's GPT-4o model which allows exceptionally good image generation with the ability to recreate real photos and produce immaculate text. So to stay relevant -- or perhaps catch the hype train being shunted by the wave of Studio Ghibli-inspired AI art flooding the internet, MidJourney is rolling out an updated model with several improvements. CEO David Holz announced details of the new V7 model on MidJourney's official Discord server and through a blog post. They said the new model is "smarter with text prompts" and produces images with "noticeably higher" quality and "beautiful textures." Recommended Videos The model is also capable of generating images in a jiffy, roughly 10 times as fast as the current model, Holz says, as the mode is designed for brainstorming and frequent iterations. You can switch to the Conversational mode (only on web) and recreate part of the image without having to rewrite the prompt entirely or using the Edit mode. The images are of lower quality and cost half of what regular images do. The Conversational mode is substituted by a Voice mode when you use the Discord app on your computer or mobile. Holz says it enables you to "think out loud and let the images flow beneath you like liquid dreams." This feature is also part of the newly introduced Draft mode. Additionally, MidJourney V7 can be run in Relax and Turbo modes for high-resolution images (than Draft mode), and using the latter will cost you twice as many credits in exchange for faster image production. The new V7 model currently lacks some functionality and workflows will default back to the previous V6.1 for tasks that need upscaling, inpainting, and retexturing. Finally, the model also enables Personalization where you can save preferences on how you like your images and expect the model to produce results accordingly. This would require a five-minute setup, which takes you through a series of 200 images that you can choose to tune your preference. MidJourney is currently running a community-driven alpha test for the model, and promises additional features in the next 60 days. You can try it by typing /settings in the chat box in Discord or the web platform, send the message, and change the default model to V7 from the settings that emerge.

Midjourney v7 Review: The Former Industry Standard Struggles to Keep Up - Decrypt

The alpha version of Midjourney v7, which was released last week, arrives at a time when the once-dominant image generator is clearly losing ground. While it still commands a massive Discord-driven user base of some 20 million people, newer tools like OpenAI's GPT-4o, Reve, and Ideogram 3.0 have overtaken it in realism, precision, and functionality. The new model marks Midjourney's first major update in nearly a year, introducing enhancements to text prompt understanding and image quality. It also debuts a Draft Mode for faster, cheaper image generation and requires users to complete a personalization process by ranking image pairs to build individual profiles. "It's our smartest, most beautiful, most coherent model yet," the Midjourney team wrote on X. "Give it a shot and expect updates every week or two for the next two months." While Midjourney has traditionally excelled in creativity and aesthetics rather than accuracy or text generation, v7 attempts to bridge this gap through better natural language interactions for image editing and automatic prompt enhancement. Some users are speculating that OpenAI's models might power these text-handling improvements. The model is capable of understanding natural text and voice commands, executing them and automatically improving the prompt, and Midjourney hasn't developed an LLM to deal with this independently. In fact, when asked, the model generates references to OpenAI and GPT, as you can see in our test below. Midjourney hasn't officially confirmed or denied this connection, nor replied to our email asking about it. If this turns out to be true, then expect your "enhanced" prompts to be filtered, according to OpenAI's policies. Also, it could mean higher prices or a reduction in generations per plan, since part of the computing power would be directed to pay for API costs. Midjourney v7 brings some welcome upgrades, including better prompt understanding and more coherent image structure, especially in historically tricky areas like hands and objects. But in 2025, these are table stakes -- not breakthroughs. Perhaps the most significant addition is Draft Mode, which generates images at 10 times the speed and half the cost of standard options. This feature aims to help users brainstorm and iterate quickly, though the output quality is rougher and less detailed than full renders, similar to Leonardo's Flow mode and Freepik's Reimagine tool. Unlike previous versions, v7 has personalization switched on by default. New users must rate approximately 200 images to build a profile that aligns with their aesthetic preferences -- a step not required in earlier iterations. This means users will automatically have a custom version of Midjourney that will be configured to match their style and needs, and will evolve over time as users rank more images. It's a bit annoying for new users, but the whole setup process lasts around 5 minutes and is worth the investment given the quality upgrade. Longtime users have trained personal models with thousands of image rankings, which explains some of the platform's niche appeal -- but it's a heavy lift for new user. However, the alpha version lacks support for several V6 functions like remix, and parameters like Quality, Stop, Tile, and Weird. Functions such as upscaling and inpainting currently fall back to V6.1, suggesting ongoing development in these areas. Midjourney releases used to be jaw-dropping when compared to the previous generation; V4 felt like a giant leap against v3. But with v7, the magic is wearing off. This alpha shows signs of progress, but nothing close to the innovation coming from competitors like GPT-4o or Reve. Our tests show a modest improvement over V6.1 -- not the kind of upgrade that reclaims the crown. Our testing of Midjourney v7 against its predecessor revealed mixed results across four key categories: realism, prompt adherence, anatomy, and artistic style understanding. Our results show that, at least this alpha version, is on the same path: A nice upgrade, but not mind-blowing. Here is how it stacks up against the previous Midjourney v6.1 in our preliminary tests Realism Prompt: A high-resolution photograph of a bustling city street at night, neon signs illuminating the scene, people walking along the sidewalks, cars driving by, a street vendor selling hot dogs, reflections of lights on wet pavement, the overall style is hyper-realistic with attention to detail and lighting, a neon sign says "Decrypt." Midjourney v7 created visually interesting scenes with great depth and activity. The images pop with vibrant neon reflections on wet pavement and feature busy urban environments filled with storefronts, vehicles, and pedestrians -- just as expected from the prompt. However, while it excels at mood and atmosphere, it has its limitations. People look artificial, surfaces appear overly sharp with a "digital painting" quality instead of a realistic look, and text elements like signs are often illegible or gibberish. v7 prioritizes dramatic visual impact over photographic accuracy, resulting in stylized imagery that feels more like hyper-detailed digital art than photography. Score: 7.5/10 Midjourney v6 surprisingly outperformed its successor in realism after considering all the elements that make a scene look and feel real. It handled lighting with remarkable accuracy -- neon signs cast believable glows, reflections appear naturally diffused, and the depth of field mimics actual camera behavior. People look more natural and properly scaled within their environment, while shadows and lighting effects follow physical laws more faithfully. Text elements remain readable and properly integrated. Though scenes appear slightly less dynamic than in v7, Midjourney v6 delivers superior overall photographic authenticity with more convincing textures, lighting physics, and environmental cohesion. Prompt: A dog with a red hat standing on top of a TV showing the word 'Decrypt is the best Crypto+AI media site in the world' on the screen. On the left there is a blonde woman in a business suit holding a coin, on the right there is a robot standing on top of a first aid box, a green pyramid stands behind the box,. The overall scenery is surreal. A cat is standing upside down on top of a white soccer ball, next to the dog. An Astronaut from NASA holds a sign that reads "Emerge" and is placed next to the robot Midjourney v7 adheres a bit more closely to the spatial structure described in the prompt, even though it takes creative liberties with text and character design. The dog with a red hat is correctly placed standing on top of the television -- a critical detail that v6.1 failed to deliver. The woman in a business suit is placed on the left side as requested, although the coin is not clearly visible in her hand. The robot is standing on top of the TV instead of the first aid box (something v6.1 captured), and the green pyramid is neatly positioned behind the box. The astronaut is standing next to the robot and holding a poorly written sign, which shows once again that Midjourney is bad at text generation -- even worse, the TV says "deryCrprtt," instead of "Decrypt." The cat, while included, is incorrectly placed. Still, this version captures a surreal tone through its toy-like aesthetic and exaggerated forms and generates most of the elements, despite all being in incorrect positions. Score 6/10 Midjourney v6.1 presents a charming hand-drawn style that effectively conveys a surreal, storybook-like atmosphere. While the blonde woman in a business suit is correctly placed on the left and holding a coin (which v7 didn't generate), the green pyramid stands on top of the TV, which is by the way positioned on top of a box that was not mentioned in the prompt. Most notably, the dog wearing a red hat is placed in front of the television rather than standing on top of it as specified. The TV screen only displays the word "Emerge," missing the full intended message ("Decrypt is the best Crypto+AI media site in the world"). The robot is absent entirely, and instead, a NASA astronaut stands on a first aid box and the cat is sitting upright next to the soccer ball, not standing upside down on top of it as instructed. Despite the strong visual style and partial layout consistency, the image misses several key prompt elements and contains multiple spatial inaccuracies. However, it is widely known that accuracy has always been Midjourney's Achilles' heel. Just for reference, here is what ChatGPT generated: Artistic style and creativity Prompt: A man and a woman having dinner in a futuristic restaurant, illustration in the style of Vincent Van Gogh. The restaurant has a sign saying "Welcome to Emerge, by Decrypt," impasto, oil on canvas This image features a strong use of complementary colors with dominant ochre/orange walls contrasted against teal and purple accents. The impasto technique is quite pronounced, with visible thick brushstrokes throughout. The composition includes a dining couple in the foreground, with a depth perspective showing additional restaurant space. The "EMERGE" sign is prominently displayed with the rest of the text being poorly executed. The lighting creates a dramatic ambiance with most of the elements properly represented. Score: 8/10 This image is also visually pleasing and successfully mimics a painterly, textured look, but its execution is more Impressionistic than Post-Impressionist -- for example, the brushstrokes are softer and the colors are more balanced. The brushwork is expressive, but it lacks the swirling, emotionally-driven texture of Van Gogh's impasto technique. Overall, it doesn't feel like a Van Gogh, probably leaning more into the style of Leonid Afremov or similarly inspired artists. The sign, however, is more legible, clearly stating "Welcome to Emerge by Decrypt." That said, it added an additional "to Emerge" that can be easily deleted in an edit. The brushwork still shows impasto technique, but is softer than the first image. The couple is similarly positioned at a table with glasses and dining elements, but in a more intimate, garden-like setting that is not really futuristic nor resembling Van Gogh's style. Prompt: closeup of a small Hawaiian kid doing the shaka sign with his hands Midjourney v7 shows a nice improvement in understanding complex physical gestures and anatomical details. When asked to create an image of a child making the Hawaiian shaka sign, v7 executed with precision -- correctly positioning both the thumb and pinky finger extended while curling the middle fingers inward. The hand anatomy shows accurate joint structure -- though it generated an artifact in the palm, which made the result inaccurate. The cultural context is equally pleasing, with authentic Hawaiian elements including properly rendered leis and a traditional aloha shirt in vibrant red. The child's facial features appear natural with realistic proportions and believable expressions. Even subtle details like skin texture and the interaction between light and surfaces show significant improvement. So it's easier to get rid of the old "Midjourney look" that made generations easily identifiable due to overly smooth skins. Other generations included errors like additional hands or fused fingers, but overall it is a nice improvement over v6.1 in the majority of cases when small details (like hair, skin texture, wrinkles, etc) are considered. Score: 8.5/10 Midjourney V6 produces a visually pleasant image with strong overall execution, but fundamentally fails the gesture test. Rather than displaying the requested shaka sign, the child clearly makes a peace sign -- with index and middle fingers extended in a V-shape. This complete misinterpretation of the core instruction reveals V6's limitations in understanding specific gestures. Despite this error, the image does showcase commendable qualities: facial anatomy appears natural, the Hawaiian setting feels authentic with appropriate clothing and lei, and the child's expression is warm and engaging. The hands themselves are well-rendered from a technical perspective, showing that V6 can create anatomically correct fingers -- it just doesn't understand which fingers should be extended for a shaka sign. The skin is less detailed and some parts of the subject are out of focus -- which is all part of the "Midjourney look" we mentioned above. Midjourney offers two different ways for image editing: the legacy editor and the recently introduced natural language editor in draft mode. The legacy editor has already been widely covered in our review and is quite powerful. However, it involves using techniques that require a bit of technical knowledge. Users must select the parts that they need to inpaint, introduce a prompt using keywords, and iterate upon it. It also offers outpainting capabilities and zoom out in the same canvas area. The new natural language editor, however, is entirely different. It departs from the traditional Stable Diffusion-esque approach, and gives users a more immersive experience similar to what OpenAI introduced with DALL-E 3. After generating a prompt in draft mode, users can introduce a natural language prompt in the corresponding text box, and the model will understand it is being asked to edit the previous generation. Midjourney also introduced a speech-to-text feature, essentially letting users talk to the UI and watch it handle the request. This is very good for beginners, as it eliminates most of the difficulty. However, when compared against competitors, it is poorly executed. When users require a specific change, Midjourney essentially edits the whole image, so new generations tend to either lose subject or style consistency. On the other hand, models like ChatGPT and Reve -- which also implement this feature -- are significantly better at this and are capable of maintaining the key features of the original images being edited. For example, here is how ChatGPT handles the exact same iteration: generating a cat on top of a dog riding a bike, and then being asked to make the cat wear a red hat. This new version is a welcoming upgrade that might keep hardcore Midjourney fans willing to pay for a subscription, which starts at $10 a month. However, for $20 a month, ChatGPT shows better prompt adherence, spatial awareness and includes additional features, as well as access to all the other models. Reve (subs start at $10 monthly) is also better at style and realism. Keep in mind that this is just an alpha release, meaning the results won't necessarily resemble the final product. Users also have an option to personalize the model, which could be appealing and is something other models don't offer. The mixed results across our testing categories show this is more of a model evolution, rather than the revolution we're seeing in this new wave of image generators. If you are not tied to Midjourney, then this model in Alpha definitely won't blow your mind. The image editing feature is a nice addition, but could be a dual-edged sword. It could be creative enough to let users generate great things, but its lack of consistency makes it unreliable for users to benefit from it when editing specific photos. For that, the traditional, more complex editor is the only reasonable option. Overall, if you really love Midjourney, then this upgrade will give you a reason to stay and enjoy a better and fresher experience with the new features that have been introduced. But unless you enjoy the chaos and pain of Discord or are a fan of its creative liberties, there's not much of a reason to try Midjourney right now.

Finally Midjourney V7 is live but it's missing crucial features

After nearly a year-long wait, Midjourney has launched V7, its latest AI image model, which entered alpha testing around midnight EST on Thursday. To access V7, users must first rate approximately 200 images to create a Midjourney "personalization" profile, which tailors the model to their specific visual preferences and is enabled by default in V7. Once the profile is set, users can activate or deactivate V7 on Midjourney's website or through its Discord chatbot; the model can be selected from a drop-down menu on the website. Midjourney CEO David Holz described V7 on X as a "totally different architecture" that is "much smarter with text prompts," producing noticeably higher image quality with beautiful textures and significantly better coherence in bodies, hands, and objects. V7 offers two versions, Turbo and Relax, and includes a new Draft Mode, which renders images at ten times the speed and half the cost of the standard mode, although the draft images are of lower quality but can be enhanced and re-rendered. Holz noted that standard Midjourney features like image upscaling and retexturing are not yet available for V7 but are expected to be added in the near future, possibly within two months. Midjourney, founded in 2022 by David Holz, expects to generate around $200 million in revenue and is currently establishing a hardware team for unannounced projects while training new video and 3D object generation models. Midjourney faces lawsuits alleging it infringed on the rights of millions of artists by training its AI tools on images scraped from the web without consent.

Midjourney Releases New V7 Image Generation Model in Alpha

Midjourney says the Draft Mode costs half as much as the standard mode Midjourney released its latest image-generation artificial intelligence (AI) model, V7, on Friday. The V7 AI model is currently available in an alpha version, and the company is currently letting its user base test the model's capability. Arriving nearly a year after its predecessor V6, the V7 Alpha model is also the first in the AI firm's lineup to have personalisation turned on by default. The foundation model also introduces a new "Draft Mode," which is said to cost half as much as the standard mode while offering 10 times the speed. In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the official handle of Midjourney announced the release of V7. Compared to V6, the image generation model has a higher text prompt adherence, and both the image quality and textures are better, the company added. The AI firm also claimed that the coherence among different elements is higher than its predecessor. Midjourney highlighted that V7 is its first model to have model personalisation turned on by default. It means that before getting access to the AI model, users will have to rate a large number of images to build their personalisation profile. This profile enables the Midjourney models to understand the user's preference, and it can adjust the outputs accordingly. However, once a user gets access to V7, they can turn personalisation on or off. The company is also introducing a new feature dubbed Draft Mode with this model. Draft Mode is said to be half the cost of the standard mode and renders images at 10 times its speed. It is essentially an iteration mode where users can give the model multiple prompts to get the desired output and to make inline edits to images. The mode supports voice input for a conversational experience. Users can either click "Draft mode" on the web client or add "--draft" at the end of the prompt to activate the mode. Midjourney highlighted that draft mode images are lower quality than the standard mode, but the model behaviour and aesthetic generation are consistent. The V7 image generation model is available in Turbo and Relax variants. Notably, Turbo mode costs twice as much as standard output generation. Additionally, the V7 model currently does not support upscaling, editing, and retexture-related tasks, and it redirects to V6 to complete these tasks. Midjourney also plans to release new features for the AI model every week or two for the next 60 days. One feature in the roadmap includes character and object reference.

First look at New Midjourney v7 Image Generator : 50 Different Prompts Tested

Midjourney's latest iteration, version 7, introduces a range of features aimed at enhancing user creativity and refining the image-generation process. With a redesigned default style, a robust personalization system, and new functionalities, this update marks a significant step forward in AI-driven art. However, despite these advancements, certain challenges persist, particularly in handling intricate prompts and surreal concepts. These limitations highlight the ongoing need for refinement as the platform evolves. In this testing by Thaeyne, explores how Midjourney V7 is reshaping the AI art experience with its new features, including a new personalization system and a shift toward photographic realism. Whether you're a seasoned digital artist or someone just dipping their toes into AI-generated creativity, this update offers plenty to get excited about -- though not without its challenges. From the highs of tailored outputs to the ongoing struggles with intricate prompts, Thaeyne looks into what makes this version a step forward and where it still has room to grow. One of the standout features of Midjourney V7 is its advanced personalization system, which allows users to customize image outputs based on their unique preferences. To activate this feature, you are required to rank 200 images on the Midjourney website. This ranking process enables the system to learn your aesthetic tastes, creating a foundation for a more tailored creative experience. The personalization system excels when applied to artistic prompts, delivering outputs enriched with distinctive color palettes and intricate details. For users seeking a more individualized approach to AI-generated art, this feature adds a layer of depth and creativity that was less accessible in earlier versions. By aligning the generated images with your specific preferences, it opens up new possibilities for artistic expression. Midjourney V7 introduces a new default style that leans heavily toward a photographic and subdued aesthetic. This shift emphasizes realism, particularly in single-subject images, which now exhibit remarkable clarity and detail. The updated style is well-suited for users aiming to create realistic portraits or lifelike depictions of objects. However, this focus on realism comes with trade-offs. The vibrancy and intricate textures that characterized earlier versions have been toned down, which may disappoint users who prefer more dynamic or stylized outputs. Additionally, the new style struggles with group images, often avoiding detailed facial depictions. Prompts involving mythical creatures or surreal elements also yield less satisfying results, underscoring areas where further refinement is needed to balance realism with artistic flexibility. Master Midjourney with the help of our in-depth articles and helpful guides. Midjourney 7 introduces two key tools designed to streamline the creative process: Draft Mode and Speed Settings. These functionalities cater to a variety of user needs, offering greater flexibility and efficiency. These tools not only improve the user experience but also make the platform more accessible to a wider range of creative projects, from quick drafts to detailed, time-intensive compositions. Midjourney 7 showcases notable improvements in areas such as text rendering and photographic realism. Text-based prompts, including those for book covers or posters, now yield more accurate and visually appealing results compared to previous versions. This progress highlights the platform's growing ability to handle practical applications of AI-generated art. Despite these advancements, challenges remain. The system continues to struggle with surreal or abstract prompts, often producing inconsistent outputs. For example, generating mythical creatures or objects made of unconventional materials can result in images that lack coherence or fail to meet user expectations. Additionally, rendering realistic hands and faces in group settings remains a persistent issue, reflecting a broader challenge faced by many AI image generators. Midjourney 7 demonstrates impressive adaptability to various artistic styles, particularly when handling prompts inspired by established genres like "Art Nouveau" or "Pointillism." These styles often produce visually stunning results, showcasing the system's ability to replicate complex artistic techniques. The personalization feature further enhances these outputs, allowing users to infuse their unique preferences into the generated images. However, the platform's performance is less consistent when dealing with fantasy or surreal elements. While some outputs successfully capture the intended aesthetic, others fall short, revealing gaps in the system's ability to interpret and execute complex or imaginative concepts. This limitation highlights the need for continued development to expand the platform's versatility and reliability. While Midjourney 7 represents a significant advancement in AI-driven art, it is not without its shortcomings. Key limitations include: Despite these issues, the personalization feature has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users. Its ability to deliver tailored and satisfying results has made it one of the most celebrated aspects of this update, offering a glimpse into the platform's potential for future growth. Midjourney 7 represents a meaningful step forward in the realm of AI image generation. With enhanced personalization, a refined aesthetic, and new tools like Draft Mode and Speed Settings, it offers users greater control and flexibility in their creative endeavors. While challenges with complex prompts and certain artistic styles persist, these limitations are balanced by the platform's many strengths. As users continue to explore its capabilities, Midjourney V7 lays a strong foundation for creative experimentation and innovation. Its potential to push the boundaries of AI-driven art is evident, even as it navigates the complexities of refining its outputs. This version not only enhances the user experience but also sets the stage for future advancements in the field of AI-generated creativity.

Midjourney 7 version AI image generator is released

Midjourney has released Version 7 of its AI image generator, representing a notable advancement in the realm of AI-driven creativity. This update introduces a range of enhanced features, innovative tools, and expanded customization options, offering users greater control over their creative outputs. While the latest version addresses several longstanding user concerns, some limitations persist, leaving room for further refinement and future innovation. But let's be real: no tool is perfect, and even the most exciting updates come with their quirks. While Midjourney Version 7 introduces some innovative features -- like improved realism, better prompt understanding, and a draft mode for quick brainstorming -- it also carries over a few challenges from its predecessors. Still, for anyone looking to push the boundaries of their creativity, this update offers a glimpse into what's possible when technology meets artistry. So, what's new, what's better, and what still needs work? CyberJungle explains and demonstrates the new version of Midjourney below. One of the most prominent improvements in Midjourney Version 7 is its ability to better interpret prompts and produce more realistic textures. The AI now demonstrates a deeper understanding of abstract and complex inputs, resulting in images that feel more authentic and visually compelling. For example, when tasked with generating surreal landscapes, the outputs exhibit intricate details and lifelike textures, showcasing the platform's growing sophistication. However, despite these advancements, certain challenges remain. Text rendering within images continues to be a notable issue, often producing inconsistent or unreadable results. Similarly, the clarity of distant faces in crowded scenes still falls short of professional standards. While these areas have seen some improvement, they highlight the ongoing need for refinement to meet the expectations of advanced users. Midjourney Version 7 introduces several new tools designed to expand creative possibilities and streamline workflows. Among the most impactful is the personalization feature, which allows users to train the AI to align with their unique artistic style. By rating 200 images, you can guide the system to produce outputs that reflect your specific aesthetic preferences. This feature is enabled by default, making sure a tailored experience from the outset. Another noteworthy addition is the draft mode, which prioritizes speed over quality to assist rapid ideation. This mode is particularly useful for brainstorming and conceptualizing ideas, as it generates lower-resolution images that serve as a foundation for further refinement. While the trade-off in image quality may not suit all workflows, it offers a practical solution for users seeking to quickly explore creative concepts before committing to high-quality outputs. Find more information on AI image generation by browsing our extensive range of articles, guides and tutorials. Customization takes center stage in Version 7, with a suite of tools that allow users to fine-tune various aspects of image generation. You can now adjust parameters such as medium, lighting, motion, and scene details, allowing greater alignment with your creative vision. The inclusion of adjustable aspect ratios and stylization sliders further enhances this flexibility, making it easier to achieve your desired aesthetic. Additionally, the update introduces the ability to toggle between personalized styles and Midjourney's standard aesthetics. This dual approach caters to a diverse range of users, from those seeking complete creative freedom to those who prefer a more guided experience. By offering this level of customization, Midjourney Version 7 ensures that its tools are adaptable to a wide variety of artistic needs and preferences. While Midjourney Version 7 delivers significant advancements, it is not without its limitations. Text rendering remains a persistent challenge, often producing results that lack clarity or coherence. Similarly, the clarity of distant faces in complex scenes continues to be an area where the platform falls short, which may hinder professional users who require precise and polished outputs. The draft mode, while valuable for rapid ideation, produces lower-quality images that may not meet the needs of users seeking final outputs. This trade-off between speed and quality could limit its appeal for certain workflows, particularly those that demand high-resolution results from the outset. Midjourney has outlined an ambitious roadmap for future updates, aiming to address some of the platform's current limitations while introducing new capabilities. One of the most anticipated features is "Omniconsistency," which promises to improve consistency in characters, objects, and locations across multiple images. This enhancement could resolve one of the most persistent challenges in AI image generation, offering a more cohesive and reliable creative experience. Other planned features include compatibility with existing star reference libraries and the ability to use voice commands for prompt iteration in draft mode. These additions are designed to enhance usability and cater to a wide range of users, from casual creators to advanced professionals. By focusing on these areas, Midjourney aims to solidify its position as a leading platform in AI-driven creativity. Midjourney Version 7 represents a significant step forward in the field of AI image generation, offering users enhanced creative flexibility, improved personalization, and tools for faster ideation. While it addresses many user demands, challenges such as text rendering and image clarity persist, underscoring the need for continued development. As the platform evolves, it holds the potential to further redefine the boundaries of AI-driven creativity, providing tools that cater to diverse needs and applications. With its commitment to innovation and user-centric design, Midjourney is poised to remain at the forefront of this rapidly advancing field.