Questions
- How do I generate images with Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Bowdoin?
- What AI image tools can I use with my Bowdoin account?
- How do I create an image from a text description?
- How do I use Google Gemini and the Nano Banana 2 image model to make pictures?
- How do I generate an image in Adobe Express, and what are the monthly credit limits?
- How do I use the Image Generate Agent in LibreChat?
- Which AI image tool should I choose for my task?
- Is it safe to put Bowdoin information into an AI image tool?
- Can I use AI-generated images for coursework, flyers, or presentations?
Environment
Bowdoin provides three ways to generate images with Artificial Intelligence (AI). Each one works in a web browser and is available to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff who sign in with a Bowdoin account.
- Google Gemini: Google's AI assistant, used with a Bowdoin Google account. Gemini creates images with Google's Nano Banana 2 image model.
- Adobe Express: Adobe's web design tool, which includes image generation. Image generation in Adobe Express uses a set number of generative credits each month.
- LibreChat: Bowdoin's hosted AI chat platform, available to everyone in the community. LibreChat includes an Image Generate Agent for creating images from a description.
Not in scope: This article does not cover photo editing of existing pictures, video generation, or professional licensed artwork. It also does not cover the full feature set of each tool. For detailed, current steps inside each product, use the vendor help pages in the Additional Resources section.
Important: Do not enter confidential or restricted Bowdoin information, personal data about students or employees, or anything you would not post publicly, into any AI image tool. Treat prompts and uploaded images as if they could be seen outside Bowdoin. See the Data Classification Policy in the Related Articles section before working with sensitive information.
Resolution
Pick the tool that fits your task, then follow the steps for that tool. All three tools create an image from a written description, often called a prompt. A clear prompt that names the subject, the style, the setting, and the mood produces a better result than a short or vague one.
Choosing a tool
Each tool has a different strength and a different limit. Use this comparison to decide where to start.
| Tool |
Best for |
How you sign in |
Main limit to know |
| Google Gemini (Nano Banana 2) |
High-quality, realistic images, and editing an image through conversation |
Bowdoin Google account |
Usage limits apply and can change; very high-volume use may be paused for a time |
| Adobe Express |
Turning a generated image into a finished flyer, poster, slide, or social post |
Bowdoin account through Adobe |
A set number of generative credits each month; generation pauses when credits run out until the next cycle |
| LibreChat Image Generate Agent |
Quick image creation inside the same chat tool you already use for text |
Bowdoin account in LibreChat |
Available to everyone; features depend on Bowdoin's current LibreChat configuration |
Google Gemini with Nano Banana 2
Google Gemini creates images with the Nano Banana 2 model, which is Google's current image model and produces detailed, realistic results. A higher-quality variant, Nano Banana Pro, is also part of the Gemini image tools.
- Open a web browser and go to gemini.google.com.
- Sign in with your Bowdoin Google account. If you are already signed in to a personal Google account, switch to your Bowdoin account first so the work stays with Bowdoin.
- In the message box, describe the image you want. For example: Create an image of a watercolor painting of the Bowdoin campus quad in autumn, warm afternoon light.
- Press Enter or select the send control to generate the image.
- To change the result, reply in the same conversation with what you want different, such as a new color, a different angle, or more or less detail. Gemini edits the image based on your reply.
- When you are satisfied, use the download control on the image to save it to your device.
Note: Gemini works through conversation, so you can refine an image step by step instead of writing one perfect prompt. Start simple, then ask for adjustments.
Adobe Express
Adobe Express generates an image from a written prompt and lets you place that image directly into a design such as a flyer, poster, slide, or social post. Image generation in Adobe Express uses a set number of generative credits each month. When the monthly credits run out, image generation pauses until the credits refresh at the start of the next cycle.
- Open a web browser and go to express.adobe.com.
- Sign in with your Bowdoin account. Choose the option to continue with your school or company account if you are asked how to sign in.
- From the Adobe Express home screen, select the generate option (labeled Generate or Text to Image), then choose image generation.
- Type a description of the image you want, and choose a content type and style if those options are offered.
- Select Generate to create a set of images, then pick the one you want.
- Edit the image or drop it into a design, then download or share the finished file.
Note: Each image you generate uses generative credits. To make your monthly credits last, write a clear prompt so you need fewer attempts, and reuse a generated image across several designs rather than regenerating it.
LibreChat Image Generate Agent
Bowdoin's LibreChat platform is available to everyone in the community and includes an Image Generate Agent for creating images from a description, in the same place you chat with AI for text.
- Sign in to Bowdoin's LibreChat with your Bowdoin account.
- Open the model selector at the top of a new chat, then open the My Agents menu.
- Select the Image Generate Agent.
- Type a description of the image you want in the message box, then send it.
- When the image appears, save it to your device, or reply in the same chat to ask for changes.
Note: The Image Generate Agent is one of several agents in the My Agents menu. If you do not see it, confirm you are signed in with your Bowdoin account and that an agent is selected rather than a plain text model.
Using AI-generated images responsibly
AI image tools are powerful, and a few habits keep your work safe, accurate, and fair to others.
- Protect Bowdoin information. Do not enter confidential or restricted data, or personal details about real people, into a prompt or an uploaded image. See the Data Classification Policy in the Related Articles section.
- Check the result before you use it. AI images can include mistakes, such as garbled text, extra fingers, or inaccurate details. Review every image for errors before you share it.
- Respect people, privacy, and copyright. Do not create images that misrepresent a real person, and do not try to copy a living artist's style or a brand's protected work. When you reuse an image, make sure you have the right to use it.
- Be honest about AI use in academic work. Expectations differ by course and assignment. If you plan to use an AI-generated image for coursework, ask your instructor first and follow their guidance on disclosure.
- Make images accessible. When you publish an AI-generated image on a website, in a document, or in a slide, add descriptive alternative text so people using a screen reader can understand it.
Additional Help
If you need further assistance, you have several options:
- Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
- Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
- In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
- Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Additional Resources
AI-assisted content: This article was drafted with the assistance of an AI writing tool and reviewed by Bowdoin IT staff for accuracy.