Microsoft launches its first in-house AI image generator to rival Google, OpenAI

In a remarkable breakthrough, Microsoft has unveiled MAI-Image-1, its first-ever in-house text-to-image generator.

Developed by Microsoft AI, the new model is part of the tech giant’s broader effort to reduce reliance on external partners like OpenAI while expanding its own AI ecosystem.

According to Microsoft, MAI-Image-1 represents “the next step on our journey,” and was developed with input from creative professionals to avoid repetitive or overly stylised results.

The model reportedly “excels at photorealistic imagery,” including scenes like lightning, landscapes, and detailed natural visuals, and can process user prompts faster than larger, slower AI models.

Notably, the model has already ranked among the top 10 on LMArena, a benchmarking site where users compare and vote on AI-generated images from different systems.

MAI-Image-1 joins Microsoft’s expanding AI family, which includes the MAI-Voice-1 generator and MAI-1-preview chatbot.

While Microsoft remains a key backer of OpenAI, its collaboration has become more complex amid growing competition in the AI sector.

Recently, the company has also begun integrating Anthropic’s AI models into its Microsoft 365 suite and investing heavily in developing its own AI technology.

With MAI-Image-1, Microsoft aims to position itself as a serious contender in the AI image generation race against Google’s Imagen and OpenAI’s DALL·E.