Stable Diffusion 3 is Free for Everyone
Leading AI for Text-to-image is Free Open Source Again
April 2024: Stability AI announced the availability of Stable Diffusion 3 and Stable Diffusion 3 Turbo via an API on the Stability AI Developer Platform.
An important note is that access to the API was paid, which caused a mixed reaction from the community expecting an open release.
Finally, on the 5th of July, Stability AI made SD3 free even if you're using it for research, personal projects, or even commercial purposes. But if your business makes over $1 million a year and you incorporate their models into your products or services, you'll need to get a paid Enterprise license.
Fans are thrilled, but it was not always the case. The company was heavily criticized and even almost canceled.
Today you’ll learn everything about the New Community License and events preceding its realease, and get the instruction how to use SD 3 API with almost NO code.
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Why the Buzz: the Epic Downfall and Revival
Just six months ago $1B Stability AI was not stable at all.
The previous release was met rather cool because the use of the model API became paid. And this was contrary to the principles the company had so actively promoted.
First, three key developers quit, and the company burned through $100 million, spending $8-10 million monthly. Founder Emad Mostaque made misleading claims, lied about their tech opportunities, and disappeared after conflicts with investors.
I've been watching the events unfold with interest and I thought it was the end.
But they turned things around by raising $80 million from investors like Sean Parker and Eric Schmidt, reducing $400 million in debts.
New CEO Prem Akkaraju from Weta Digital (digital visual effects) and Sean Parker as executive board chairman led the revival. Guess they needed someone used to dealing with special effects and make-believe to regain the trust.
After all, revenue jumped to $44.2 million by monetizing AI models and offering consulting services.
Stability AI’s journey shows that with the right moves, even troubled companies can rebound.
3 Key Points of the New License
As I said, SD 3 is free for everyone—unless you're making the big bucks. Then, it's pay up time!
Except for that, there are a couple of improvements may be useful for developers and creators:
Safety Classifier: Includes a tool to automatically filter out unwanted images, which can be adjusted based on user feedback. Important because it protects viewers from offensive images.
Ethical Use: Encourages users to follow ethical guidelines and legal usage under the Creative ML OpenRAIL-M license. Important because it promotes the responsible and legal use of AI, maintaining trust and respecting intellectual property rights.
Share the article with your fella designer–I’m sure he’ll thank you.
How & Where to Use Stable Diffusion (No Code)
Learn more about the latest release and get the instruction on how to use API at the snap of your fingers:
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