Midjourney will soon let users upload and edit images with AI

Why it matters: Midjourney, the startup behind one of the most popular text-to-image AI models, just announced plans to roll out an upgraded web tool that will allow users to edit any image on the internet using the company's powerful generative AI capabilities.

In a message posted to Midjourney's official Discord server last week, CEO David Holtz spilled the details on this upcoming "image editor" feature. Users will be able to upload any pic from across the web. The tool will then use recent advancements in "depth controlnets" to intelligently change an object's shape and textures based on a text description.

"It keeps the shape of the scene/object but repaints all the texture/colors/details according to your prompt," reads the description shared by Holtz.

Of course, putting such powerful editing abilities into the hands of Midjourney's several million users comes with huge implications around potential misuse.

There are always fears that tools like these could be exploited for nefarious purposes like creating misleading deepfakes or violating copyrights on a massive scale. Despite this, the US still lacks a law criminalizing deepfakes at the federal level – though at least a dozen states have enacted statutes against AI impersonation, with many more considering following suit.

Holtz seems to recognize the gravity of the situation, saying in his Discord post that Midjourney will initially restrict access to a "subset of the current community" as it works to improve human and AI monitoring systems to prevent abuse of the editor. However, he admits that the company is "not sure" how to implement such restrictions. The company is now polling its user base to get feedback on who should get early access.

To their credit, Midjourney has been ahead of the curve on one front by embracing IPTC's Digital Source Type metadata standards that flag AI-generated images. But the company is trailing others, like Adobe, who use more robust provenance such as C2PA, which is another metadata technology that traces an image's full editing history.

It's worth mentioning that Midjourney launched a new website in August that lets anyone generate AI images through text prompts by simply signing up with a Google account. Subscription plans are available after an initial free trial period.