# MAI Image 2.5

> MAI-Image-2.5 is Microsoft AI's in-house image model, launched on 2 June 2026 and the default model in Bing Image Creator since 23 July 2026. Microsoft ranks it No. 2 on Arena's image-editing leaderboard and No. 3 for text to image, with its biggest gains over MAI-Image-2 in text rendering. On Kenerate AI it runs in the browser in 10 aspect ratios up to 21:9 for 15 credits an image (17.4 for an edit), and MAI-Image-2.5 Pro, Microsoft's highest-fidelity version, for 54.

URL: https://kenerateai.com/models/microsoft/mai-image-2-5
Publisher: Kenerate AI (https://kenerateai.com)
Last updated: 24 October 2026

## Key facts
- Official name: MAI-Image-2.5 · MAI-Image-2.5-Pro
- Maker: Microsoft AI
- Released: 2.5: 2 June 2026 · Pro: 23 July 2026
- Arena (Microsoft): No. 2 image editing · No. 3 text to image
- On Kenerate: 15 credits · edit 17.4 · Pro 54
- Aspect ratios: 10 on 2.5 (up to 21:9) · 7 on Pro
- References: 1 (edits)
- Free plan: No
- Weights: Closed (API only)

## Steps
1. Open MAI Image 2.5 — Go to /app/image and pick MAI Image 2.5 (the button on this page selects it). Sign in free to get started.
2. Write a photographic prompt — Name the subject, the place, the light and the lens — “natural light portrait … 85mm” is enough.
3. Pick a ratio — One of 10, from 9:16 stories to 21:9 cinema banners. Each image is 15 credits.
4. Edit or upgrade — Upload one photo and describe the change (17.4 credits), or re-run the final on MAI Image 2.5 Pro (54) for hero images.

## In depth

### MAI-Image-2.5, Flash and Pro
Microsoft ships the 2.5 generation in three versions [1][2]. Kenerate runs the two quality versions.
- MAI-Image-2.5 — full fidelity, the Bing Image Creator default; on Kenerate 15 credits in 10 ratios.
- MAI-Image-2.5-Flash — a cheaper, faster version for production workloads in Microsoft Foundry [1].
- MAI-Image-2.5-Pro — Microsoft's highest-fidelity model, for hero images, detailed edits and precise text [2]; on Kenerate 54 credits.

### What changed from MAI-Image-2
Microsoft's own Arena chart shows a 75-point overall gain over MAI-Image-2, led by text rendering (+107) and cartoon, anime and fantasy (+90), with scores as of 1 June 2026 [1]. It also ranks No. 2 on Arena's image-editing leaderboard and No. 3 for text to image. Editing got localised: replace an object, update text or remove motion blur without touching the rest, and keep a face the same across pose and expression changes.

### Prompting MAI Image 2.5
Short, photographic prompts work: subject, place, light and lens. Every output on this page came from one or two lines. For banners, pick 21:9 before you write so the composition is wide from the start. For edits, upload one photo and describe only the change and what must stay.

References:
[1] MAI-Image-2.5 launches at No. 2 for image editing on Arena — Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/introducing-mai-image-2-5/
[2] Introducing MAI-Image-2.5-Pro and MAI-Voice-2-Flash — Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/introducing-mai-image-2-5-pro-and-mai-voice-2-flash/
[3] MAI-Image-2.5-Pro — Microsoft Foundry model catalog: https://ai.azure.com/catalog/models/MAI-Image-2.5-Pro

## FAQ
Q: What is MAI-Image-2.5?
A: MAI-Image-2.5 is Microsoft AI's in-house image generation and editing model, launched on 2 June 2026. Microsoft calls it its strongest image model at launch, with better text rendering, product imagery and prompt adherence than MAI-Image-2, precise localised edits and faces kept the same across edits. It has been the default model in Bing Image Creator since 23 July 2026.

Q: MAI Image 2.5 vs 2.5 Pro — what's the difference?
A: MAI-Image-2.5-Pro, released on 23 July 2026, is Microsoft's highest-fidelity image model, meant for hero images, detailed edits and precise in-image text. On Kenerate, 2.5 costs 15 credits an image and Pro 54; 2.5 offers 10 aspect ratios and Pro 7. Draft on 2.5 and re-run only the final on Pro — compare the two on the same prompt above.

Q: Is MAI Image 2.5 free?
A: Not on Kenerate's free plan. New accounts get 25 credits on sign-up — one MAI Image 2.5 image costs 15 — and more come from one-time packs with no subscription. Bing Image Creator also uses MAI-Image-2.5 for free with daily limits. For free drafts on Kenerate, use Qwen Image 3.0.

Q: How much does MAI Image 2.5 cost?
A: On Kenerate: 15 credits per image (about $0.05) and 17.4 per edit; MAI Image 2.5 Pro costs 54 per image and 87 per edit. In Microsoft Foundry it is billed by tokens: $47 per million image-output tokens for 2.5 and $106 for Pro, with $5 text input and $8 image input.

Q: What is the difference between MAI Image 2 and MAI Image 2.5?
A: MAI-Image-2.5 is the newer generation. Microsoft reports a 75-point overall Arena gain over MAI-Image-2, with the biggest jumps in text rendering (+107) and cartoon, anime and fantasy (+90), plus stronger localised editing. Kenerate runs 2.5 and 2.5 Pro; the full family history is on our MAI Image page.

Q: What aspect ratios does MAI Image 2.5 support?
A: On Kenerate MAI Image 2.5 makes 10 ratios: 1:1, 3:4, 2:3, 9:16, 4:5, 5:4, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 and 21:9. Edits and MAI Image 2.5 Pro use 7: 1:1, 3:4, 2:3, 9:16, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9.

Q: Can MAI Image 2.5 edit photos?
A: Yes. Upload one photo in /app/image, pick MAI Image 2.5 and describe only the change — swap an object, change the text on a sign, clean up blur. Microsoft built it to keep the rest of the image and the person's face the same. An edit costs 17.4 credits, or 87 on Pro.

Q: Is this the same model as Bing Image Creator?
A: Yes, the same model. Microsoft says Bing Image Creator runs on MAI-Image-2.5 by default since 23 July 2026. On Kenerate you get it without daily boost limits, in 10 ratios, with the Pro version and 80+ other models in the same studio.

Q: Can I use MAI Image 2.5 without Azure or an API key?
A: Yes. Kenerate AI runs MAI Image 2.5 and 2.5 Pro in the browser: sign in, pick the model in /app/image and pay per image with credits. There is no Microsoft Foundry deployment, Azure subscription or API key to set up.

## Related pages
- MAI Image: https://kenerateai.com/model/mai-image
- Bing Image Creator alternative: https://kenerateai.com/bing-image-creator-alternative
- GPT Image 2.5: https://kenerateai.com/models/openai/gpt-image-2-5
- Nano Banana 2.1: https://kenerateai.com/model/nano-banana-2.1
- Realistic AI image generator: https://kenerateai.com/realistic-ai-image-generator
- All models: https://kenerateai.com/model

## Sources
- MAI-Image-2.5 launches at No. 2 for image editing on Arena — Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/introducing-mai-image-2-5/
- Introducing MAI-Image-2.5-Pro and MAI-Voice-2-Flash — Microsoft AI: https://microsoft.ai/news/introducing-mai-image-2-5-pro-and-mai-voice-2-flash/
- MAI-Image-2.5-Pro — Microsoft Foundry model catalog: https://ai.azure.com/catalog/models/MAI-Image-2.5-Pro