
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has introduced its latest image generation artificial intelligence tool, Seedream 4.0, with strong image editing capabilities, the tech company Seed Department, responsible to administer its AI capabilities, said on Tuesday.
Seedream 4.0 is expected to directly compete with Google DeepMind’s Nano Banana, also known as Gemini 2.5 Flash Image. ByteDance states that Seedream 4.0 outperformed Gemini 2.5 Flash Image in its internal evaluation benchmark Magicbench for image generation and editing, with better performance in prompt adherence, alignment, and aesthetics, according to a report by South China Morning Post.
Features of Seedream 4.0
Seedream 4.0 provides a range of features such as text-to-image generation, image editing, reference-based generation and multi-image creation. Here are the key features of Seedream 4.0 —
1. Image editing: Seedream 4.0 allows image editing such as adding, deleting, replacing, and modifying using text prompts. It is advisable to use clear and concise language to accurately specify the elements to edit and the specific changes needed.
2. Use of reference images: Seedream 4.0 claims to extract key details from reference images, including character design, artistic style, and product features, which enables tasks such as character creation, style transfer, and product design.
3. Use multi-image inputs: Seedream 4.0 now supports multiple image inputs for composite editing, including combinations, replacements, and style transfers. When using this feature, ByteDance advises users to clearly indicate what to reference or edit from each image.
4. Create image sequences: Seedream 4.0 enables the creation of image sequences with consistent character continuity and a unified style, which can be used for storyboarding, comic creation, and set-based design scenarios that require a cohesive visual identity, such as IP product design or emoji pack creation.
Seedream 4.0 — Prompt guide for users
To generate accurate images, ByteDance has advised following certain practices when crafting prompts:
1. Clearly describe the scene using natural language: Use clear language to describe the subject, action, and environment. If aesthetics matter, include descriptors of style, colour, lighting, or composition.
2. Specify application scenario: If you have a specific use case, explicitly state the image purpose and type in your prompt.
3. Enhance the style of an image: If a particular style is needed, use precise style keywords or reference images to achieve better results.
4. Improve text rendering accuracy: Use double quotation marks for the text that needs to appear in the generated image.