In the ever-evolving world of digital creativity, few companies have excelled as Freepik. They have effectively stayed ahead of the curve. Fifteen years ago, it was a humble stock image platform. Now, it has blossomed into a generative AI powerhouse. It attracts over 60 million visitors each month. This transformation wasn’t accidental. It was the result of a strategic shift in focus. The company embraced the potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionize the creative process.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how Freepik made this remarkable transition. We will also discuss the tools and technologies that powered its rise. Finally, we’ll consider what the future holds for AI in the creative industry.
The Evolution of Freepik: From Stock Images to Generative AI
The Early Days: Solving the Blank Page Problem
Freepik’s journey began with a simple yet powerful premise: to eliminate the frustration of staring at a blank page. For designers, the creative process often starts with a daunting empty canvas. Freepik aimed to solve this problem by offering millions of stock images. These images and templates serve as starting points for creatives.
“The slowest and most painful part of the creative process was starting from zero,” said Joaquin Cuenca Abela. He is the CEO of Freepik. This was discussed in an interview with Decrypt. “We helped eliminate that barrier by giving designers millions of images they could begin creating with.”
This approach resonated with designers, and Freepik quickly became a go-to resource for stock images. However, the company’s leadership knew that to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital landscape, they needed to think bigger.
The Generative AI Revolution
The advent of generative AI marked a turning point for Freepik. The company saw an opportunity to expand its mission beyond providing pre-made content. With AI, Freepik could now offer tools that allowed users to create unique, personalized visuals tailored to their specific needs.
“When generative AI appeared, we saw we could expand our mission,” Cuenca Abela explained. “We were no longer limited to helping designers with pre-made content. Instead, we could adapt to what they needed and create something unique for each person.”
This shift paid off in a big way. Today, Freepik is a one-stop shop for AI-powered image and video generation, upscaling, animation, and more. The platform has evolved into a comprehensive creative ecosystem. It empowers users with tools that give them unprecedented control over their projects.
Freepik’s AI-Powered Creative Ecosystem
A Hub for AI Tools
In the crowded AI space, Freepik has distinguished itself by focusing on workflow integration. While most AI tools specialize in one specific task—be it image generation, video creation, or upscaling—Freepik connects them all. The platform acts as a hub. It integrates various open- and closed-source generative AI tools. This integration offers users a seamless creative experience.
Here’s a look at some of the key features of Freepik’s AI suite:
- Image Generation: Freepik offers a range of image generation models, including Mystic, Flux, Ideogram, and Google Imagen. These tools allow users to create stunning visuals with just a few clicks.
- Custom LoRA Training: For users who need consistent character and style generation, Freepik provides custom LoRA training. This feature is particularly useful for creating cohesive visual narratives.
- Video Generation: Freepik’s video generation capabilities are powered by seven different models. These include Google’s Veo2, Hunyuan, Luma, Kling, Hailuo, and Minimax. These tools enable users to create high-quality video content with ease.
- Editing Tools: Freepik’s suite includes advanced editing tools for inpainting, outpainting, filters, and seamless image expansion. These features allow users to refine their creations to perfection.
- Audio Generation: In addition to visual content, Freepik offers audio generation tools for music, voice-over, and sound effects. This makes it a comprehensive solution for multimedia projects.
- SVG Conversion: For vector-based assets, Freepik provides SVG conversion capabilities, ensuring that users can work with high-quality graphics.
Magnific: The AI-Powered Upscaler
One of Freepik’s standout successes has been Magnific, its AI-powered upscaler. Magnific went viral for its ability to enhance image details without distorting them. This is a feat that even top-tier AI models have struggled with. This tool has been a game-changer for photographers and designers, allowing them to upscale their images with unprecedented clarity.
“People sometimes underestimate the difference between a good product and an excellent product,” Cuenca Abela noted. “The last 10% takes 90% of the effort. That’s why many tried replicating Magnific, but couldn’t quite nail it.”
Mystic: Competing with State-of-the-Art Models
Mystic is another key player in Freepik’s AI arsenal. It is an advanced image generation model. This model has been compared to state-of-the-art tools like Ideogram and MidJourney. Mystic is not just a standalone model. It is a workflow that uses Flux as a core model. Numerous tweaks occur behind the scenes. The result is an image generator that offers full HD quality directly, setting it apart from many competitors.
The Copyright Debate: Balancing Creativity and Technology
As with any disruptive technology, generative AI has sparked controversy, particularly around copyright issues. Many artists argue that AI developers unfairly train their models using copyrighted works without permission. Cuenca Abela acknowledges these concerns but believes that the benefits of AI outweigh the drawbacks.
“If you required permission from every individual creator to train an AI model, those models simply couldn’t exist,” he said. “It’d be like asking permission to index every single web page before launching Google.”
Cuenca Abela recognizes the tension between creative control and technological progress. He argues that AI-generated images aren’t direct copies of existing works, but rather unique creations inspired by vast datasets. While this debate is far from settled, Cuenca Abela believes that society will ultimately favor the benefits of AI. This is similar to how society embraced previous technological advancements like photography and digital art.
Open Models vs. Closed Systems: The Future of AI
The AI industry is currently divided between open-source and proprietary models. Closed-source systems like MidJourney and Ideogram are traditionally seen as more user-friendly. However, open-source models like Stable Diffusion and Llama have gained significant traction in recent years.
Cuenca Abela believes that the gap between open-source and proprietary models is narrowing. “In terms of code, state-of-the-art open-source is at the same level as proprietary models,” he said. “The biggest difference is training time and dataset curation, a longer post-training phase, a bit better tagging, etc. But as for technical level, I don’t see much of a gap.”
Freepik’s approach is to offer both open-source models and closed-source models. This gives users the flexibility to choose the best tool for their needs. This versatility is crucial for achieving the granularity required for truly exceptional creative work.
Freepik’s AI Video Bet: The Next Frontier
Freepik has recently doubled down on AI-powered video tools, integrating Google’s Veo 2 to dramatically improve video generation quality. “Before Veo 2, you had to generate 10 or 20 videos to get one that worked,” Cuenca Abela noted. “Now, with Veo 2, you get a good result every other try.”
The company is also working on an upcoming AI video editor. It will allow users to assemble full videos entirely within the Freepik platform. This tool will enable users to edit clips, add audio, and create complete compositions without needing to leave the platform.
The Future of AI: Opportunity or Concern?
As AI continues to advance, questions about its impact on society and creativity abound. Are we close to achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI)? Will machines eventually replace human creativity?
Cuenca Abela sees AI’s rapid development as both exciting and unsettling. “AGI feels close now—much closer than anyone expected just a few years ago,” he admitted. “We went from people dismissing AI as a toy to machines that can think.”
While some fear that AI will replace human creativity, Cuenca Abela remains optimistic. He believes that AI will serve as a tool to enhance human creativity, not replace it. “AI for us is just a tool—but it’s how people interact with AI that matters,” he said.
Conclusion: Freepik’s Mission in the Age of AI
Freepik’s transformation from a stock image platform to a generative AI powerhouse is remarkable. It shows the company’s willingness to adapt and innovate. By embracing AI, Freepik has positioned itself as a leader in the creative industry. It offers tools that empower users. They can bring their ideas to life with unprecedented ease and precision.
AI is evolving continuously. Freepik’s mission remains clear. Their goal is to help people make great designs and express the power of their ideas. In the age of AI, creativity is no longer limited by technical constraints—it’s only limited by imagination.
