Generate image

The Generate image action uses AI to generate an image from a set of instructions, and returns information about the result as response data. The generated image is also saved in the first media directory, so you can browse it with the Media source integration.

This action does not support targets. Instead, you describe the image and, optionally, choose which AI task entity to run it on. When you leave the entity out, the preferred AI task entity is used.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To generate an image from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. From the search box, search for and select AI Task: Generate image.
6. Enter a Task name and the Instructions, and set any of the options you need.
7. In the Response variable field, enter a name to store the result, for example, generated_image.
8. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as ai_task.generate_image. A basic example looks like this:

action: ai_task.generate_image
data:
  task_name: "weather visualization"
  instructions: "New York when the weather is sunny"
response_variable: generated_image

This generates the image and stores the result in the generated_image response variable.

Options in YAML

Response data

The response data is a mapping with the following fields:

• media_source_id: The Media source content ID of the generated image.
• url: The URL of the generated image, without the host part. The URL is only valid for one hour.
• revised_prompt: The actual prompt used by the image model. Some models rewrite the instructions to add more detail or context.
• model: The image model that was used to generate the image.
• mime_type: The MIME type of the image.
• width: The image width.
• height: The image height.
• conversation_id: The ID of the conversation used for the task.

Good to know

The image is saved in the first media directory and can be browsed with the Media source integration. Files are named using the format {date}_{time}_{sanitized_task_name}.{ext}, for example 2025-01-19_123456_home-security-camera.png.

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Actions, search for this action, fill in the fields, and select Perform action. You see what happens on your actual entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] without writing a line of YAML.

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.

Related actions

These actions work well alongside this one:

• Generate data: Uses AI to run a task that generates data, such as text or structured output.