Microsoft Copilot Designer, formerly known as Bing Create or Bing Image Creator, offers an accessible entry point into AI image generation. This tool transforms text descriptions into visual content, catering to both casual users and those needing quick visual aids.
DALL-E 3 Powered Image Generation in Bing/Microsoft Copilot
Bing Create’s core function is to generate images from text prompts. It employs sophisticated AI models, including OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, GPT-4o, and MAI-Image-1. These models allow the tool to produce a variety of visuals, ranging from realistic depictions to artistic interpretations. While DALL-E 3 typically generates multiple images per prompt, MAI-Image-1 and GPT-4o usually produce a single image.
Social Media Managers, Bloggers, and Casual Creators
Anyone with a Microsoft Account can use Bing Create for free. Its broad appeal stems from its utility in various scenarios:
- Personal Enjoyment: Generating unique visuals for fun or personal projects.
- Content Creation: Quickly producing images for newsletters or social media.
- Design Inspiration: Finding visual ideas for interior design or other creative fields.
- Educational Aids: Creating visual materials to support learning.
- Concept Art: Developing initial drafts or concept visuals for artists and businesses.
Free with Microsoft Account, 15 Boosts per Day
Bing Create is integrated directly into the Microsoft ecosystem. Users can access it via the Bing chat experience (specifically in ‘Creative mode’) or through the Microsoft Edge sidebar. It’s now a component of Microsoft Copilot Designer. To begin, users simply log in with their Microsoft account and enter a text prompt describing the desired image.
Free Tier with Daily Boosts, Copilot Pro for More
Bing Create is free for all users with a Microsoft Account. Each day, users receive 15 "fast image creations," also known as boosts. These boosts enable quicker image generation. Once depleted, the tool continues to generate images at a slower "standard speed." Microsoft Rewards points can be redeemed for additional fast creations. While a Microsoft 365 Copilot Pro subscription ($20/month) offers priority queueing, it doesn’t increase the daily boost limit. For commercial use of generated images, a Microsoft 365 Copilot commercial plan ($30/user/month for enterprise/business subscriptions) is required; otherwise, usage is restricted to personal, non-commercial purposes.
DALL-E 3 Backend, 1024×1024 Output, Square/Wide/Tall Formats
- AI Models: DALL-E 3, GPT-4o, MAI-Image-1.
- Output Resolution: Fixed at 1024×1024 pixels.
- Aspect Ratio: Exclusively square.
- Integrations: Bing chat (Creative mode), Microsoft Edge sidebar, Microsoft Copilot Designer.
- API Availability: No public API is available.
Content Filters, Lower Detail Than Midprocess, Square Default
While Bing Create offers significant utility, it comes with several limitations:
- Content Moderation: Users frequently encounter aggressive content filtering, sometimes leading to erroneous violation warnings even for innocuous prompts. The system has even censored its own randomly generated images.
- Image Quality Concerns: Some users have reported a decline in image quality, including anatomical inaccuracies like mutated features or extra fingers. Microsoft has previously rolled back to an older DALL-E model (PR13) due to such issues after an update (PR16).
- Limited Customization: The tool provides basic text prompting and minimal options for post-generation editing or refinement.
- Speed and Quotas: The daily limit of 15 fast generations and the subsequent slower speed can hinder users with high-volume creative demands.
- Non-Commercial Default: The default licensing restricts generated images to personal, non-commercial use, requiring a specific commercial plan for business applications.
- Fixed Output Format: The inability to generate images in various resolutions or aspect ratios beyond a 1024×1024 square is a notable constraint.
- Feature Gaps: Advanced features like image-to-image generation or inpainting/editing capabilities aren’t available.
- Account Requirement: A personal Microsoft Account is mandatory; the tool isn’t accessible with Microsoft Entra ID (work or school accounts).