State of the art-ful AI: Ornate Gate

From AI to AI and back again

This is the latest entry in our ‘State of the art-ful AI’ series, where we upload a photo to Chat GPT 4 and ask it for a photo description, then ask DALL-E 3 to generate an image from the description. How similar will they be?


Why this workflow?

Less than a year after its launch, ChatGPT and DALL-E have already seen multiple iterations. In October 2023, ChatGPT 4 gained the capability to describe uploaded photos. To track the progress of generative AI, we uploaded these AI descriptions to the Dall-E 3 image generation model to see how faithful its output is to the original photo. A variety of photos have been selected which we’ll bring you throughout November and December.


Our original photo

This photo depicts the ‘central’ gate in front of Buckingham Palace, London, England.


The photo as described by Chat GPT 4 in 150 words

This photo captures a close-up view of an ornate crest affixed to what appears to be a grand gate or fence. The crest is elaborately decorated with a pair of sculpted, rampant heraldic beasts, possibly lions, on either side of a shield. These creatures, depicted in a dark patina, have a muscular appearance and seem to be standing on their hind legs, supporting a shield that carries an intricate coat of arms with various emblems and symbols.

Atop the shield is a royal crown, detailed in gold with a lion statuette poised at its peak. The crown suggests a connection to royal or noble lineage. Surrounding the shield and beasts is a dazzling array of golden, radiant beams, giving the impression of a sunburst, which adds to the magnificence of the crest.

Behind the crest, the black bars of the gate or fence form a stark contrast with the golden details, emphasizing the crest’s details. The background offers a glimpse of an imposing building with classical architecture, suggesting that this gate may lead to a palace, government building, or a similarly important structure. The craftsmanship of the crest is intricate, suggesting that it is an emblem of significant historical and cultural importance.


Photos generated by Dall-E 3 using the AI description


Spot the difference

Using a separate chat, we asked Chat GPT what differences it finds between the original photo and the FIRST image generated above:

  1. Color Scheme: The first image has a more muted color palette with less contrast, while the second image features a striking contrast between the black of the gate and the gold of the emblem.
  2. Lighting and Weather: The first image appears to be taken on an overcast day with diffuse natural lighting, whereas the second image has brighter lighting conditions with more defined shadows, suggesting a sunnier day.
  3. Coat of Arms Detail: The coat of arms in the first image appears to be older with some patina, indicating weathering over time. The second image shows a coat of arms that looks newly refurbished with more pronounced golden hues.
  4. Image Quality: The first image is of a higher resolution and appears clearer than the second, which seems a bit less sharp in comparison.
  5. Perspective and Composition: The first image is taken from a slight angle and includes more of the surrounding gate, providing context to the location. The second image is a direct frontal view focused primarily on the coat of arms.
  6. Gate Design: The design of the gate itself is different. In the first image, the vertical bars are simple and straight, while in the second image, the bars have ornamental gold details on top.
  7. Surrounding Architecture: There’s a glimpse of the building architecture in the background of the first image, giving a sense of place. The second image is closely cropped to the coat of arms, excluding most of the surrounding details.
  8. Animal Representation: The animals (lions) depicted in the coat of arms of the second image are more stylized with pronounced muscular definition, whereas the first image shows them with a slightly less detailed design.

These differences suggest the images are of similar subjects (a coat of arms on a gate) possibly taken at different times or representing different states of maintenance and restoration.


Example workflow video

Here’s our workflow in action, using an ice cream truck image. This is not an explainer video – It shows the main steps of the above ChatGPT 4 workflow in November 2023.