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Head-to-head comparison

MAI-Image-2.5 vs. Grok Imagine Image Quality

Compare shared capability tests, arena scores with documented retrieval dates, task-specific image pricing, and verified specifications. Research benchmarks, preference arenas, and our n = 1 samples remain separate.

shared result series
6
shared sample prompts
4
latest arena retrieval
2026-09-22

Change image model selection

Specifications and cost

General specifications and task-specific pricing

A model can have one price for generating new images and another for editing. Prices therefore remain tied to the corresponding arena configuration.

Specifications and pricing for MAI-Image-2.5 and Grok Imagine Image Quality
AttributeMAI-Image-2.5Grok Imagine Image Quality
ProviderMicrosoft AIxAI
ReleasedJune 2026April 2026
AccessAPI, Web appAPI, Web app
LifecyclePreview in Microsoft Foundry Status sourceDeprecated: xAI retires the model slug on November 2, 2026; requests are then served by grok-imagine-image-2.0 (quality=low) Status source
WeightsProprietaryProprietary
Parameters20 billionNot published
Maximum output1,048,576 pixels2K
Arena configurationNo separate configuration namedQuality
Text-to-image price$48.1 per 1,000 images$50 per 1,000 images
Editing price$48.1 per 1,000 images$50 per 1,000 images
Technical sourceModel sourceVerified 2026-08-15Model sourceVerified 2026-08-15
MAI-Image-2.5Grok Imagine Image Quality
Text to Image ArenaUSD per 1,000 images at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels
MAI-Image-2.5Lower price$48.1
Grok Imagine Image Quality$50
Image Editing ArenaUSD per 1,000 images at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels
MAI-Image-2.5Lower price$48.1
Grok Imagine Image Quality$50

Key to the marks:better valuebetter, but not conclusivetie

Prompt adherence and specialist tests

Shared capability benchmarks

Both checkpoints completed the same four Gradually sample tasks. For each task, 30 archived first outputs are ranked in three differently ordered, model-blind passes. The published 0-100 value normalizes the mean rank. It must still be read as an n = 1 sample per model. No exact shared result from the integrated research benchmarks is available for this pair.

MAI-Image-2.5Grok Imagine Image Quality
Gradually sample test: Typography and layoutMean of three blind ranks across all 30 first outputs, n = 1 each
MAI-Image-2.582.8 / 100
Grok Imagine Image QualityHigher blind-rank score83.9 / 100
Gradually sample test: Product photographyMean of three blind ranks across all 30 first outputs, n = 1 each
MAI-Image-2.5Higher blind-rank score79.3 / 100
Grok Imagine Image Quality4.6 / 100
Gradually sample test: Character and detailMean of three blind ranks across all 30 first outputs, n = 1 each
MAI-Image-2.5Higher blind-rank score20.7 / 100
Grok Imagine Image Quality18.4 / 100
Gradually sample test: InfographicMean of three blind ranks across all 30 first outputs, n = 1 each
MAI-Image-2.5Higher blind-rank score64.4 / 100
Grok Imagine Image Quality23 / 100

Key to the marks:better valuebetter, but not conclusivetie

Capability benchmark scores for MAI-Image-2.5 and Grok Imagine Image Quality
BenchmarkMAI-Image-2.5Grok Imagine Image Quality
Gradually sample test: Typography and layout
82.8 / 100
Mean rank: 6 (3 / 7 / 8)
Five rubric scores
Headline: 1.67 / 2
Subline: 1.67 / 2
Text control: 1.67 / 2
Visual brief: 1.67 / 2
Layout: 1.67 / 2
Higher blind-rank score83.9 / 100
Mean rank: 5.67 (2 / 9 / 6)
Five rubric scores
Headline: 1.67 / 2
Subline: 1.67 / 2
Text control: 1.67 / 2
Visual brief: 1.67 / 2
Layout: 1.67 / 2
Gradually sample test: Product photography
Higher blind-rank score79.3 / 100
Mean rank: 7 (6 / 12 / 3)
Five rubric scores
Subject: 1.67 / 2
Time: 1.67 / 2
Watch details: 1.67 / 2
Photography: 1.67 / 2
Exclusions: 1.67 / 2
4.6 / 100
Mean rank: 28.67 (28 / 29 / 29)
Five rubric scores
Subject: 1 / 2
Time: 1.67 / 2
Watch details: 1.67 / 2
Photography: 1 / 2
Exclusions: 1.33 / 2
Gradually sample test: Character and detail
Higher blind-rank score20.7 / 100
Mean rank: 24 (24 / 21 / 27)
Five rubric scores
Scene: 1 / 2
Wardrobe: 1 / 2
Anatomy: 1 / 2
Props: 1 / 2
Environment: 1 / 2
18.4 / 100
Mean rank: 24.67 (28 / 25 / 21)
Five rubric scores
Scene: 1 / 2
Wardrobe: 1 / 2
Anatomy: 1 / 2
Props: 1 / 2
Environment: 1 / 2
Gradually sample test: Infographic
Higher blind-rank score64.4 / 100
Mean rank: 11.33 (11 / 12 / 11)
Five rubric scores
Title: 1.67 / 2
Sequence: 1.33 / 2
Labels: 1 / 2
Diagram: 1.67 / 2
Clarity: 1.33 / 2
23 / 100
Mean rank: 23.33 (27 / 22 / 21)
Five rubric scores
Title: 1.67 / 2
Sequence: 1.67 / 2
Labels: 0.67 / 2
Diagram: 1.67 / 2
Clarity: 0.33 / 2

Key to the marks:better valuebetter, but not conclusivetie

Independent preference tests

Shared arena benchmarks

Artificial Analysis and Arena derive scores from blind comparisons. Raters see outputs for the same prompt and choose the image they prefer. Separate series cover text rendering, photorealism, portraits, art, commercial design, and image editing. Confidence intervals indicate how certain a measured lead is.

2 shared result series
MAI-Image-2.5Grok Imagine Image Quality
Text to Image ArenaBlind preference from the same prompt, higher is better
MAI-Image-2.5Higher score1,103 Elo
Grok Imagine Image Quality1,043 Elo
Image Editing ArenaBlind preference from the same prompt, higher is better
MAI-Image-2.5Higher score1,113 Elo
Grok Imagine Image Quality1,081 Elo

Key to the marks:better valuebetter, but not conclusivetie

Arena benchmark scores for MAI-Image-2.5 and Grok Imagine Image Quality
BenchmarkMAI-Image-2.5Grok Imagine Image QualitySource
Text to Image Arena
Higher score1,103 Elo
Rank 8, 95% confidence interval: ±9, 14,914 ratings
1,043 Elo
Rank 17, 95% confidence interval: ±7, 17,693 ratings
Artificial AnalysisRetrieved 2026-09-22
Image Editing Arena
Higher score1,113 Elo
Rank 7, 95% confidence interval: ±9, 12,485 ratings
1,081 Elo
Rank 15, 95% confidence interval: ±9, 6,225 ratings
Artificial AnalysisRetrieved 2026-09-22

Key to the marks:better valuebetter, but not conclusivetie

Visual comparison

Sample images

Our images complement preference data, but do not replace it. The prompt, request count, and selection rule match. Provider resolution, quality tier, randomness, and prompt processing remain visible limitations, so this is not a fully controlled laboratory test.

Largely standardized comparison protocol. Both models receive the same archived prompt, exactly one request, and the first result counts. Files are normalized to 1,024 × 1,024 pixels without cropping. Provider resolution, randomness, quality tier, and prompt processing can still differ. These images are a practical visual test, not a reconstruction of the arena configuration.

Character and detail

Anatomy, clothing, and spatial consistency

Grok Imagine Image Quality, Character and detail
MAI-Image-2.5, Character and detail
MAI-Image-2.5
Grok Imagine Image Quality
Prompt and settings

Create a square cinematic full-body portrait of a fictional bicycle courier waiting under a transparent umbrella at a rainy tram stop in Hamburg at blue hour. She wears a mustard raincoat, navy trousers, red sneakers, a silver helmet, and carries a teal messenger bag. Keep both hands visible, render the bicycle correctly, use realistic wet-street reflections, and include no readable brand names.

MAI-Image-2.5. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048508, model ID microsoft/mai-image-2.5, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:26 PM. Source
Grok Imagine Image Quality. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, model ID x-ai/grok-imagine-image-quality, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1, selection rule: first result.

Prompt SHA 256: 985a75b38642a9f0e5e0c0e0c67f1b7f67780d42bd2168fa24e9a7a7a94b0da6

MAI-Image-2.5, image SHA 256: ca1c58688ae4601975d7e1f7b58bb43a0a999e736f610d9f51cd11e06284bced

MAI-Image-2.5, request SHA 256: 40fc54cbcee64f9045c44e702e013b649a0d8bbd7f8e2390d839bc38ee183b90

Grok Imagine Image Quality, image SHA 256: b6cccae7af9a70af45a46b9e3264fa6971101e04979f7a0539e889ba6521250a

Grok Imagine Image Quality, request SHA 256: 5eb607f5dab8f6ef684eb315d3cae08e7d962bb6df6b77aaf88a64e0dc5665eb

Infographic

Numbers, labels, and visual organization

Grok Imagine Image Quality, Infographic
MAI-Image-2.5, Infographic
MAI-Image-2.5
Grok Imagine Image Quality
Prompt and settings

Create a square German infographic titled SO FUNKTIONIERT PHOTOSYNTHESE. Show exactly four numbered steps in this order: 1 LICHT, 2 WASSER, 3 CO₂, 4 ZUCKER + SAUERSTOFF. Use a clean editorial science style with one plant cross-section, simple arrows, high contrast, legible labels, and no other text.

MAI-Image-2.5. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048538, model ID microsoft/mai-image-2.5, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:26 PM. Source
Grok Imagine Image Quality. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, model ID x-ai/grok-imagine-image-quality, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1, selection rule: first result.

Prompt SHA 256: ed65cb4e6a51e2336f8b149ad4cbb16e020f07d527ad94362e719d2dcf91d94f

MAI-Image-2.5, image SHA 256: eaf00a906231e8859f98ef5dc2cce7e8017797819aea453305a4ef0e970d4dbf

MAI-Image-2.5, request SHA 256: bbedc701e9933a8d6ed0fbb2a6fbb7214214fad9d32d9ae80a114a7254a0bcf1

Grok Imagine Image Quality, image SHA 256: 03fbeae7859be72584048dfc23fba0651220ab44c707da66c386b77d90cc86f7

Grok Imagine Image Quality, request SHA 256: f576589c9e48139779b3876e26e751fa6282caa2363332dff24d10409696b3d7

Product photography

Materials, reflections, and fine details

Grok Imagine Image Quality, Product photography
MAI-Image-2.5, Product photography
MAI-Image-2.5
Grok Imagine Image Quality
Prompt and settings

Create a square premium product photograph of a brushed titanium wristwatch standing upright on dark green marble. The watch has a cream dial, thin black hands set to 10:10, twelve distinct hour markers, a realistic crown, and a dark brown leather strap. Soft window light from the left, controlled reflections, shallow depth of field, no text, no logo, no extra objects.

MAI-Image-2.5. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048513, model ID microsoft/mai-image-2.5, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:25 PM. Source
Grok Imagine Image Quality. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, model ID x-ai/grok-imagine-image-quality, generated Aug 14, 2026, 1:34 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1, selection rule: first result.

Prompt SHA 256: c67fd71e91304458a2feef5c91efa8677260fab0c0099a29a2c52cb579f5b2f3

MAI-Image-2.5, image SHA 256: 67d4930b711fac61482231c4bc270cfcdb41c1b0daf653045781fb2126e237dd

MAI-Image-2.5, request SHA 256: 071e156eeb3e65e6744b7c6b675ffcb32b551dcfc1033a55e30e9561c0bd78a9

Grok Imagine Image Quality, image SHA 256: 0ea1e48f20bf61ff10414398b5248b0496c9040b3868c915580efd11d0dbaf11

Grok Imagine Image Quality, request SHA 256: 9320d8ca97077311b8f57251645ad46aa9fe084e77bbdfb99f5543d8db898855

Typography and layout

Legible text, hierarchy, and composition

Grok Imagine Image Quality, Typography and layout
MAI-Image-2.5, Typography and layout
MAI-Image-2.5
Grok Imagine Image Quality
Prompt and settings

Create a square editorial poster for an imaginary night train called MONDFALTER. Show the exact German headline MONDFALTER and the exact subline BERLIN NACH LISSABON. Use a restrained midnight-blue and warm-cream palette, one stylized moth, strong Swiss-grid typography, generous negative space, and no additional words or logos.

MAI-Image-2.5. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, provider default 1K resolution, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.048473, model ID microsoft/mai-image-2.5, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:03 PM. Source
Grok Imagine Image Quality. Provider OpenRouter, aspect ratio 1:1, resolution 1K, n=1, seed=provider random, actual cost $0.050000, model ID x-ai/grok-imagine-image-quality, generated Aug 14, 2026, 2:05 PM. Source

Protocol gradually-image-comparison-v1, selection rule: first result.

Prompt SHA 256: 2e012c3d14ee5dd02203a94f394ca80a5038cdebd6032b25a8b8a221f2255419

MAI-Image-2.5, image SHA 256: 4c8a60555b57b8c3b5ebaa131371d1bba9d31bfafe7aaa772554969f7c28cb08

MAI-Image-2.5, request SHA 256: f14577273bd6b0980f49e13988b01555bb55dc824317b201b5fab3d2ef72e666

Grok Imagine Image Quality, image SHA 256: 84d88fb03bdbba672fc91268f4c120b17a19e4c9d637425aeca8ed44b2397d9f

Grok Imagine Image Quality, request SHA 256: 46fe1175225b4b1ddc97b59b3735541cd5b214e0226e1ef1f2c3cf02beaf8485

How to read this comparison

An Elo score is not a verdict on creativity

A higher arena score means this specific configuration was preferred more often in blind comparisons.

Typography, character consistency, local execution, licensing, and price may matter more to your workload than overall visual appeal.

Prices cover 1,000 images at 1,024 × 1,024 pixels using settings documented by Artificial Analysis. Subscriptions and special rates are excluded.

More matchups

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