AI Art App Trends on Social Media and Sparks Controversy

Lensa AI is an open-source artificial intelligence tool that creates artistic stylized portraits from 10-20 selfies - all for $3.99.

What do businesses need to know?

According to Social Media Today, many digital artists and copyright holders say they’re not being credited or reimbursed for their artwork, which is being used to train the AI model that the company behind Lensa is monetizing. “The appeal of visualizing one’s anime, sci-fi, or fairy princess alter-ego landed Lensa at the top of the charts among free apps in the Apple and Google app stores soon after the Magic Avatars feature launched late last month,” explains Social Media Today.

While Lensa’s eye-catching visuals can be attributed to its quick rise, many are worried about the implications and ethics behind it all. Many artists worry about how automated art generators will begin to devalue their skills as visual creators since many creators are not being credited or reimbursed for their artwork. Additionally, some users expressed privacy concerns about how the app is storing and using personal data. While many apps say they delete selfies after they’re turned into avatars, many apps still use personal photos to train their network and improve their AI products.

In other news…

After Twitter suspended its $8 verification plan early last month, just days after its initial launch, it’s now planning to restart the program once again, though with one significant tweak.

What do businesses need to know?

Users that sign up on an iOS device can now expect to pay $11 per month - or $132 per year - to get their own blue checkmark, or alternatively, you can pay $8 per month if you sign up on the web.