Complete Guide to AI Creative Tools | Midjourney, DALL-E, Sora, Suno Comparison, Copyright, Side Hustles & Business Cases [2026 Edition]

What Is AI Creative? Understanding the 2026 Creative Revolution

AI Creative refers to the collective technologies that use artificial intelligence to generate and edit creative content such as images, music, videos, and text. Since the launch of Stable Diffusion and Midjourney in 2022, the creative AI market has grown explosively in just a few years.

Looking at market data, the creative AI market is projected to expand from $1.7 billion in 2022 to $21.6 billion by 2032 (a 29.6% compound annual growth rate). We’re no longer in the era of “AI can draw pictures” — we’re in an era where 99% of professional creators have incorporated AI tools into their workflow in some form.

This article thoroughly covers the three major fields of image generation, music generation, and video generation, including 2026 tool comparisons, pricing plans, copyright considerations, and real-world business case studies. It’s a complete guide for anyone from beginners to professionals to grasp the full picture of AI creative.

AI Image Generation Tools: Complete Comparison [2026 Edition]

AI image generation is the most mature field. Simply input a text prompt and generate illustrations, photo-realistic images, concept art, and more in seconds. Let’s compare the key features and pricing of the major tools.

Midjourney: The Quality King for Professionals

Midjourney is an AI image generation service that receives top-tier ratings for image quality. Available via Discord or web app, it excels particularly in art, design, and concept art creation.

• Basic ($10/month): 200 images/month, 3.3 hours GPU time
• Standard ($30/month): Unlimited relaxed mode, 15 hours GPU time
• Pro ($60/month): 30 hours GPU time + stealth mode (private generation)
• Mega ($120/month): 60 hours GPU time, for heavy users

V6.1 was released in 2025, with improved text rendering accuracy and enhanced style reference features. Commercial use is available from the Standard plan and above.

DALL-E 3: Zero Extra Cost for ChatGPT Users

OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 is integrated into ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), allowing you to generate images through a chat interface. It excels at natural language instructions, making it easy to create high-quality images even without much prompt engineering knowledge. It’s also available for free through Microsoft Copilot.

Adobe Firefly: #1 in Commercial Safety

Adobe Firefly is an image generation AI specialized for commercial use. Trained on Adobe’s stock assets, its biggest strength is low copyright risk. It integrates smoothly with Photoshop and Illustrator, making it easy to incorporate into existing workflows.

• Free: 25 credits/month (limited generations)
• Premium ($9.99/month): 2,000 credits/month
• Creative Cloud ($59.99+/month): Firefly + full Photoshop suite

Stable Diffusion / Flux: Free & Fully Customizable

Stable Diffusion is an open-source image generation model you can install on your own PC and use for free. With a GPU of 8GB+ VRAM, there are no limits on generation count. The Flux model introduced in 2025 has been rated as rivaling Midjourney in photorealistic quality. The ability to train custom styles with LoRA (additional learning) is also a major draw.

AI Music Generation Tools: Pro-Quality Tracks with Zero Composition Experience

AI music generation was the field that saw the most dramatic evolution in 2024-2025. Tools that can generate complete songs with lyrics from text prompts have emerged, dramatically lowering the barrier to music production. According to Deezer data, by the end of 2025, an estimated 50,000 AI-generated tracks per day are being uploaded to streaming platforms.

Suno: Lyrics + Melody in One Shot from Text

Suno is the leading AI music generation tool. Simply specify genre, mood, and lyric themes, and it generates polished songs complete with vocals. The V4 update in 2025 significantly improved audio quality, attracting attention from professional music producers.

• Free: Up to 10 songs/day (non-commercial only)
• Pro ($8/month): 500 songs/month + commercial use
• Premier ($24/month): 2,000 songs/month + priority queue

Udio: High Audio Quality & Genre Diversity

Udio is an AI music generation tool known for high audio quality and genre diversity. It handles everything from classical to hip-hop to J-POP. It uses a credit system (starting at $3 for 100 credits) with pay-as-you-go pricing.

AIVA: Instrumental Music for Film & Games

AIVA is an AI tool specialized in composing film scores and game BGM. It can output sheet music (MIDI data), allowing detailed editing after composition. Pricing ranges from Standard (15 euros/month) to Pro (49 euros/month). Copyright fully belongs to the user on the Pro plan.

AI Video Generation Tools: Democratizing Filmmaking

AI video generation reached its biggest breakthrough in 2025. High-quality videos of several seconds to minutes can now be generated from text or still images, dramatically reducing corporate advertising production costs. According to research, 86% of buyers have purchased products after watching AI-generated video ads.

Sora 2 (OpenAI): Cinema-Quality Videos Up to 20 Seconds

OpenAI’s Sora 2, released in September 2025, can generate videos up to approximately 20 seconds in 1080p. Its understanding of physics has improved, making human movement and the rendering of water and fabric more realistic. It’s integrated into ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) at no additional cost.

Runway Gen-4.5: Pro Tool for Creators

Runway Gen-4.5 is a feature-rich video generation tool for filmmakers. It supports text, image, and video inputs, with motion brush for fine control over movement. Available from $12/month (Standard), supporting up to 4K resolution video output.

Kling O1 / Veo 3.1: Cost-Effective Options

China’s Kuaishou’s Kling O1 is attractive at just $6.99/month, supporting videos up to 2 minutes. Google’s Veo 3.1 is available via Gemini and can generate videos with audio sync ($19.99/month Google One AI Premium). Kling is best for cost-conscious users, while Veo is ideal for Google ecosystem integration.

AI Creative and Copyright: Legal Risks You Need to Know

Copyright issues are unavoidable when using AI creative tools. In January 2025, the US Copyright Office formally stated that “works generated solely by AI are not eligible for copyright protection.” This means simply entering a prompt doesn’t qualify for copyright protection.

However, copyright may be granted when a human adds “sufficient creative contribution” to AI output — for example, extensively editing an AI-generated image in Photoshop, or composing and editing AI-generated text.

The EU AI Act requires AI-generated content to be labeled as such. This law, which took effect in August 2024, will fully apply high-risk AI regulations from August 2026. Japan currently has no explicit legal regulations, but the Agency for Cultural Affairs is developing guidelines on AI and copyright.

Safety Checklist for Commercial Use

• Confirm the tool’s terms of service permit commercial use
• Choose tools with transparent training data sources (e.g., Adobe Firefly)
• Add human editing to AI outputs to ensure creative originality
• Disclose AI usage when delivering to clients
• Label AI-generated content whenever possible

Business Case Studies: AI Creative in Action

H&M: Digital Twin Models Cut Ad Production Costs

Fashion giant H&M introduced 30 digital twins (AI models) for advertising photography. By scanning real models with AI and virtually generating various outfits, poses, and backgrounds, they eliminated the need for studio bookings and model scheduling, dramatically shortening ad production lead times.

Coca-Cola: Large-Scale Ad Campaigns with Multiple AI Tools

Coca-Cola combined multiple AI video generation tools including Leonardo AI, Luma, Runway, and Kling to produce advertising footage. They significantly reduced production costs compared to traditional film crew setups while successfully mass-producing diverse ad variations in a short timeframe.

Netflix: 85% Efficiency Gain with AI Rotoscoping

Netflix introduced AI rotoscoping technology in the production of the anime series “The Eternaut,” reducing manual work by 85% compared to traditional methods. In the gaming industry, over 50% of developers have incorporated AI tools into their workflow, with AI adoption accelerating across the entire creative industry.

AI Creative Beginner’s Roadmap

Week 1: Experience with Free Tools

Start by experiencing image generation with ChatGPT (DALL-E 3) or Microsoft Copilot. Learn the basics of prompt writing and develop a feel for “this type of instruction produces this type of image.” Also try music generation with Suno’s free tier.

Week 2: Choose the Right Tool for Your Goals

Based on your experience, select the tool that matches your purpose. Midjourney for illustration focus, Adobe Firefly for commercial use, Stable Diffusion for customization. For video, consider Sora 2 or Runway depending on your budget.

Week 3-4: Work on Practical Projects

Incorporate AI into actual projects. Generate images for social media posts, create YouTube thumbnails, compose background music — creating concrete outputs helps solidify your skills. Sharing your creative process on social media in the spirit of Building in Public is also effective.

AI Creative x Side Hustles: 5 Ways to Earn as an Individual

With AI creative tools, anyone can start creative side hustles. The appeal is that you can get started with zero initial investment or just a few dollars per month in tool costs.

• Stock Photo Sales: Upload AI-generated images to Adobe Stock or Shutterstock ($0.25-$2 per image)
• Social Media Management: Mass-produce posts with AI for small business accounts ($200-$700/month)
• YouTube Thumbnail Creation: Create high-quality thumbnails with Midjourney via freelance platforms ($7-$20 each)
• BGM & Sound Effect Sales: Sell Suno-generated tracks on AudioJungle ($1-$20 per track)
• Prompt Engineering: Sell effective prompts on marketplaces like PromptBase ($1.99-$9.99 each)

Q. How much can you earn monthly from AI creative side hustles?

It varies widely, but stock photo sales can realistically earn $7-$35/month, and social media management $200-$700/month. The key is to “ship volume and watch the data.” If there’s no traction in the first month, be flexible and pivot to a different approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Can AI-generated images be used commercially?

It depends on the tool. Midjourney (Standard plan and above), DALL-E 3 (via ChatGPT Plus), and Adobe Firefly allow commercial use. Stable Diffusion is open-source and freely usable, but be cautious as there’s a risk of generating images similar to copyrighted works in the training data.

Q. Do I need a high-performance PC to start with AI creative tools?

Cloud-based services (Midjourney, Suno, Runway, etc.) can be used from smartphones or tablets. A GPU with 8GB+ VRAM (NVIDIA RTX 3060 or higher recommended) is only needed if you want to run Stable Diffusion locally.

Q. Can AI-created songs be distributed on Spotify?

Distribution is possible, but pay attention to platform policies. Spotify has been strengthening measures against AI-generated content streaming fraud since 2024. Songs generated with Suno’s paid plan are licensed for commercial use, but also check the terms of distributors like DistroKid before publishing.

Q. Will human creators’ jobs be taken by AI?

Rather than complete replacement, we’re entering an era where “creators who master AI” gain the advantage. AI accelerates idea visualization and prototyping, but concept design, brand strategy, and emotional storytelling remain human strengths. The key perspective is using AI as a tool to expand your own creativity.

Q. Which AI creative tools can I start using for free?

For image generation, Microsoft Copilot (with DALL-E 3, free). For music, Suno (10 songs/day free). For video, Kling (free tier available). Stable Diffusion is completely free but requires decent PC specs. Start with free tiers and upgrade to paid plans as needed.

Conclusion: Not Using AI Creative Is the Biggest Risk

As of 2026, AI creative tools have reached practical levels across all fields — images, music, and video. The market continues to grow at roughly 30% annually, and 99% of professional creators have already adopted AI in their work.

What matters is not fearing “AI will take creative jobs” but shifting to the mindset of “mastering AI to boost productivity.” Start by experiencing free tools while respecting copyright rules. You don’t need to aim for perfection. Generating one image today — that’s your first step.

ブラウザだけでできる本格的なAI画像生成【ConoHa AI Canvas】

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AIを使って、毎日の生活をもっと快適にするアイデアや将来像を発信しています。 初心者にもわかりやすく、すぐに取り入れられる実践的な情報をお届けします。 Sharing ideas and visions for a better daily life with AI. Practical tips that anyone can start using right away.