The mysterious AI image generator that topped benchmarks is now available - here's how to try it

Red Panda is now Recraft V3

News By John-Anthony Disotto published 30 October 2024

A mysterious AI image generator known as Red Panda shot up the ranks of the Artificial Analysis Image Arena this week, cementing itself at the top of the charts. While we had no idea who developed Red Panda, or even what, exactly, it was, we now know who makes one of the best AI image generators and where you can try it… enter Recraft V3.

Recraft V3 is an AI tool for professional designers and its developer, also called Recraft, has just released its new image generation model ‘red_panda’. As we reported yesterday (October 29), the leaderboard king Red Panda was indeed a new model in testing, and it looks like it could be one of the best out there.

Recraft V3 secured the number 1 spot on Artificial Analysis' Text-to-Image Model Leaderboard, a crowdsourced research tool that is created by giving users the choice between images created using two different models and asking them which one they prefer.

The new model has a lot going for it, including improved image generation compared to Recraft's previous model. Recraft V3 is the first model of its kind to offer image generation of any size and length of text. Recraft says, "This feature sets it apart from others – while very few models can offer similar capabilities, they still can’t match Recraft’s ability to generate long texts within an image."

Anna Veronika Dorogush, Founder and CEO of Recraft says, "We don't just want users to just enter a prompt and see what comes out. Our goal is to help designers realize the exact result they have in mind. Recraft gives designers enhanced control over their work, enabling them to deliver projects that align perfectly with their creative vision. We are committed to making Recraft the essential, daily tool for every designer.”

The king is revealed

Recraft V3 took part in Artificial Analysis' test for four days, and currently has a 1172 ELO – ELO is a skill-based system found in online gaming and chess, which compares performance based on how many times something wins or loses. The image generator has an arena win rate of 72%, meaning users are more often than not picking the new model over its competitors. Recraft V3 topped the leaderboard, beating Black Forest Labs' FLUX1.1 and Midjourney, TechRadar's current pick for the best AI Image generator.

The new model is available from Recraft's website and the company offers a range of subscription plans ranging from free to $48 per month (about £37 or AU$73). Users can access all of Recraft V3's capabilities from the website, or via the iOS / Android app.

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