An AI image generation pipeline uses Google’s Imagen 4 model (via Vertex AI) to generate original featured images for WordPress posts — with IPTC/XMP metadata injected, converted to WebP, and uploaded directly to your media library. No stock subscriptions. No generic visuals. Images generated, optimized, and published in a single automated pass.
Stock photos are the fastest way to make your content look like everyone else’s. Generating images manually via Midjourney or DALL-E doesn’t scale when you’re publishing 50 posts a month. And neither approach gets SEO metadata into the image file before it hits WordPress.
We built an Imagen 4 proxy on GCP Cloud Run that accepts a prompt (or generates one from the article title and excerpt), produces a high-quality image, injects IPTC/XMP metadata (title, description, copyright, keywords), converts to WebP, and uploads to the WordPress media library via REST API — all in one call.
Who This Is For
WordPress publishers producing more than 20 posts per month who need original featured images without a designer or stock photo subscription. Works for single sites or multi-site operations running from a central pipeline.
Four-Tier Quality Routing
| Tier | Model | Cost/Image | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast | Imagen 4 Fast | ~$0.02 | Batch posts, supporting articles |
| Standard | Imagen 4 | ~$0.04 | Default for most posts |
| Ultra | Imagen 4 Ultra | ~$0.06 | Hero images, pillar posts |
| Flagship | Gemini 3 Pro Image | ~$0.13 | Premium editorial, sales pages |
What We Deliver
| Item | Included |
|---|---|
| Imagen 4 Cloud Run proxy deployed to your GCP project | ✅ |
| IPTC/XMP metadata injection pipeline | ✅ |
| WebP conversion with quality optimization | ✅ |
| WordPress media library upload via REST API | ✅ |
| Prompt generation from article title/excerpt (optional) | ✅ |
| Four-tier quality routing configuration | ✅ |
| Batch processing support (20+ images/run) | ✅ |
| Technical walkthrough + handoff documentation | ✅ |
Ready to Replace Stock Photos With Generated Originals?
Tell us your monthly post volume and which WordPress sites need images. We’ll scope the pipeline and estimate your per-image cost.
Email only. No sales call required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Imagen 4 images safe to use commercially?
Yes. Google’s Vertex AI Imagen 4 output is licensed for commercial use under Google’s Terms of Service. Images are original generations, not derivatives of stock photos or copyrighted works.
What IPTC metadata gets injected?
Title, description, copyright notice, creator, keywords (derived from article tags), and date created. XMP fields mirror the IPTC data. This metadata travels with the file and improves image SEO in Google Image Search.
Can this retrofit existing posts that are missing featured images?
Yes. The pipeline can scan a WordPress site for posts without featured images and generate + upload them in a batch run. We can target by category, date range, or a specific post list.
Does this replace my existing image editing workflow?
For featured images — yes, in most cases. For complex custom graphics, infographics, or brand-specific layouts, a designer is still appropriate. The pipeline excels at editorial photography-style featured images at volume.
Last updated: April 2026