Seedream 4.0, by ByteDance, is a next-generation AI image generation tool built for speed and consistency. It’s aimed at creators who want high visual fidelity and predictable output—for instance, for brand identity work, campaigns, or editorial design.

What makes Seedream 4.0 stand out:

Speed: It can render images in under 2 seconds. That makes it viable for fast prototyping or rapid creative iteration.

Resolution & Quality: Supports 2K resolution (higher detail, sharper output).

Multi-reference Supports: You can feed in up to six reference images. This means you can maintain a consistent visual identity across multiple images—very helpful for branding or when multiple images need to “look like they go together.”

Precise Control: The UI lets you refine via text edits (e.g. lighting, color, texture) after seeing the initial output, so it's not just one-shot randomness.

I tried using Seedream 4.0 for a series of ad creatives: product shots, stylised lifestyle scenes, and matching color themes. Having reference images was super helpful: I uploaded the same visual references so that the product lighting, texture, and mood stayed consistent across all images. The reduction in surprises (i.e. weird color shifts, lighting mismatches) is impressive.

On the downside, because it’s so powerful, sometimes the tool overshoots (adding more detail than needed, or going more “artistically elaborate” than expected) so you might need to prompt-refine more. Also, for very low spec use-cases (e.g. thumbnails, simple graphics), simpler tools might be faster/cheaper.