MAI-Image-2.6 model profile
Evidence snapshot:
MAI-Image-2.6 is a Microsoft model profile with a 4,096-token context window. The dated catalog snapshot records text, image modalities and interfaces for image generation, vision.
Microsoft's MAI-Image-2.6 is an image generation and editing model available via Azure AI Foundry. It creates images from text prompts and supports image-guided editing across multiple aspect ratios.
MAI-Image-2.6 is a reference profile: Microsoft publishes it, Kendr documents it for comparison, and it carries no Kendr alias to call.
MAI-Image-2.6 is an independent knowledge profile. It does not claim that Kendr hosts the model, quote a Kendr customer price, promise API availability, or advertise a Kendr routing receipt.
MAI-Image-2.6 accepts text and image and returns image. The snapshot records image generation and vision as capabilities or interfaces.
The dated unit-price records list $5 per 1M tokens for input_text, $8 per 1M tokens for input_image, and $38 per 1M tokens for output_image. Each figure retains its billable dimension, variant, provider, source, and evidence date.
The 2026-09-06 snapshot includes 2 Design Arena categories. Publisher-reported launch results are labeled and are not presented as Kendr measurements; scores from different suites are not treated as interchangeable.
No comparable popularity rank or traffic share is present in the 2026-09-06 snapshot. No comparable routing rank or traffic-share observation is attached to this dated profile; missing adoption evidence is not estimated.
Profile data was reviewed for the 2026-09-06 snapshot. Claims retain their source dates, and unavailable fields are shown as unavailable instead of estimated.
Profile facts
- Profile type
- Model research profile
- Provider or publisher
- Microsoft
- Context window
- 4,096 tokens
- Snapshot date
- 2026-09-06
- Knowledge cutoff
- Not disclosed
- Reference catalog ID
- microsoft/mai-image-2.6
When to pick MAI-Image-2.6
MAI-Image-2.6 is a reference profile: Microsoft publishes it, Kendr documents it for comparison, and it carries no Kendr alias to call.
Each condition below is derived from this model's own values in the 2026-09-06 snapshot, compared only against models publishing the same field.
- Reach for it when the input includes images. The snapshot records image input, so screenshots, scans, and diagrams can be sent directly instead of described.
- Reach for it when the output is image. This route produces image rather than only text, and those units are priced separately from tokens.
- Look elsewhere when you need to call it through Kendr today. This is a research reference profile with no Kendr alias. The facts and evidence here are published for comparison; the model is not routable on Kendr.
- Look elsewhere when the prompt is long. The 4K-token context window is in the bottom quarter of the 163 models publishing a limit. Long documents need chunking or a wider-context route.
- Look elsewhere when you are building an agent. No tool-calling capability is recorded for this model in the snapshot. Agent loops need a route that can call functions.
Context, modalities, and identity
MAI-Image-2.6 accepts text and image and returns image. The snapshot records image generation and vision as capabilities or interfaces.
- Provider or publisher
- Microsoft
- Context window
- 4,096 tokens
- Maximum output
- 1,024 tokens
- Input modalities
- text and image
- Output modalities
- image
- Knowledge cutoff
- Not disclosed
Model overview
Microsoft's MAI-Image-2.6 is an image generation and editing model available via Azure AI Foundry. It creates images from text prompts and supports image-guided editing across multiple aspect ratios.
- Reference model ID
- microsoft/mai-image-2.6
- Canonical version
- microsoft/mai-image-2.6-20260904
- Hugging Face ID
- Not separately documented
Capabilities and supported controls
Capabilities and parameters are reported from the dated catalog and source records; their presence does not guarantee identical behavior across every provider route.
- Supported parameters
- max_completion_tokens, max_tokens, temperature
- image generation
- vision
Dated pricing snapshot
The dated unit-price records list $5 per 1M tokens for input_text, $8 per 1M tokens for input_image, and $38 per 1M tokens for output_image. Each figure retains its billable dimension, variant, provider, source, and evidence date.
These are dated third-party reference prices, not Kendr prices or an availability offer. Routes, tiers, caching, region, and provider policy can change the landed price.
- Price date
- 2026-09-06
- Input
- No verified rate
- Cached input
- No verified rate
- Output
- No verified rate
| Billable | Variant | Cost | Unit | Provider | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| input_text | Default | $5 | per 1M tokens | Azure | 2026-09-06 |
| input_image | Default | $8 | per 1M tokens | Azure | 2026-09-06 |
| output_image | Default | $38 | per 1M tokens | Azure | 2026-09-06 |
Provider routes, performance, and uptime
The snapshot retains 1 provider endpoint. Provider prices, context limits, p50 performance, and uptime can differ by route and are not Kendr guarantees.
- Active provider endpoints
- 1
- Best p50 latency
- No recent metric
- Best p50 throughput
- No recent metric
- Availability with routing
- No recent metric
- Availability without routing
- No recent metric
- Performance date
- 2026-09-06
| Provider | Quantization | Input / 1M | Output / 1M | Cache read / 1M | Context | p50 latency | p50 throughput | Uptime (1d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azure | unknown | $5 / 1M | $0 / 1M | No verified rate | 4,096 tokens | No recent p50 | No recent p50 | 100.00% |
Benchmark evidence and limitations
The 2026-09-06 snapshot includes 2 Design Arena categories. Publisher-reported launch results are labeled and are not presented as Kendr measurements; scores from different suites are not treated as interchangeable.
Third-party catalog fields normalized from the cited model dataset; benchmark methodology and coverage differ by source.
| Design Arena category | Elo | Win rate | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| image | 1335 | 67.6% | #2 |
| logo | 1320 | 67% | #1 |
Popularity and market context
No comparable popularity rank or traffic share is present in the 2026-09-06 snapshot. No comparable routing rank or traffic-share observation is attached to this dated profile; missing adoption evidence is not estimated.
- Third-party catalog rank
- No verified rank
- Global market share
- Not inferred
- Observation date
- 2026-09-06
Frequently asked questions
When should I use MAI-Image-2.6?
MAI-Image-2.6 is a reference profile: Microsoft publishes it, Kendr documents it for comparison, and it carries no Kendr alias to call. Reach for it when the input includes images: The snapshot records image input, so screenshots, scans, and diagrams can be sent directly instead of described. Reach for it when the output is image: This route produces image rather than only text, and those units are priced separately from tokens. Look elsewhere when you need to call it through Kendr today: This is a research reference profile with no Kendr alias. The facts and evidence here are published for comparison; the model is not routable on Kendr. Look elsewhere when the prompt is long: The 4K-token context window is in the bottom quarter of the 163 models publishing a limit. Long documents need chunking or a wider-context route. Look elsewhere when you are building an agent: No tool-calling capability is recorded for this model in the snapshot. Agent loops need a route that can call functions.
What is MAI-Image-2.6?
MAI-Image-2.6 is a Microsoft model profile with a 4,096-token context window. The dated catalog snapshot records text, image modalities and interfaces for image generation, vision.
What context window does MAI-Image-2.6 have?
The dated profile lists 4,096 tokens of context and up to 1,024 output tokens. Provider routes, variants, and runtime configuration can impose lower effective limits.
What benchmark evidence is available for MAI-Image-2.6?
The 2026-09-06 snapshot includes 2 Design Arena categories. Publisher-reported launch results are labeled and are not presented as Kendr measurements; scores from different suites are not treated as interchangeable. Third-party catalog fields normalized from the cited model dataset; benchmark methodology and coverage differ by source.
Is MAI-Image-2.6 available through Kendr?
This is an independent knowledge profile, not a Kendr-hosted availability claim. Check Kendr's live public model API for currently enabled Kendr aliases.
Does the popularity rank represent MAI-Image-2.6's global market share?
No comparable popularity rank or traffic share is present in the 2026-09-06 snapshot. No comparable routing rank or traffic-share observation is attached to this dated profile; missing adoption evidence is not estimated. No global market-share percentage is inferred when the source does not publish one.
Sources and evidence dates
- MAI-Image-2.6 third-party catalog record (catalog, checked 2026-09-06)
- Third-party model catalog methodology (methodology, checked 2026-09-06)
- Microsoft official model documentation (primary, checked 2026-09-06)
- Design Arena leaderboard and methodology (benchmark, checked 2026-09-06)
- MAI-Image-2.6 third-party catalog record (catalog, checked 2026-09-06)