A new AI-powered app for iPhone and Android can generate mind-blowing holiday-themed art and it's available for free. While some artificial intelligence creations can be haunting, trippy, or even scary, this app allows a fair amount of control over the theming, making it easy to create some eye-catching and festive pieces that are perfect to share with family and friends.
Some of the first AI-generated art appeared in the 1970s, the work of artist Harold Cohen, who developed a system called Aaron that could physically draw on surfaces with a marker. Using a small robot known as a 'turtle' that moved along the surface lifting or pressing the marker, it traveled along a path, guided solely by the computer, and using a fraction of the power of today's smartphones. 50 years later, computer art has advanced to the point that some pieces can be indistinguishable from that of a human, although a blend of abstract and realistic seems to be favored by most AI systems.
Taking the ability to experiment with AI artwork out of the research lab and making it easily accessible to everyone, app developer Wombo recently released its Dream app for iPhone and Android. With only a few words and a style selection, the computer mind starts painting layers, adjusting and refining as the user watches. In about half a minute, the piece is complete and the user has the option to generate again using the same settings, sometimes yielding very different results. Alternatively, save to the photo library or share with others via social media, messaging, and other apps.
More Dream By Wombo Options
The Dream by Wombo app offers a few one-tap phrase suggestions, although it's the most fun to swipe in several words to get a feel of what's possible. The phrase chosen can make a huge difference, but it's best to limit the number of words for a cleaner and more predictable outcome. On the other hand, the AI doesn't mind a challenge and perhaps a festive, colorful robot party is exactly what's needed to match the technology-filled holiday atmosphere.
Styles range from vibrant to pastel, dark fantasy to festive. There are a total of 14 options including none, which still creates unusual and fascinating imagery that inspires an endless amount of tinkering to find out what's possible. Beyond sharing HD-quality computer images, the app has an option to order prints at reasonably affordable prices, starting at $20 for a 12 by 18-inch matte poster. While the app will run on an iPad or tablet, the interface is designed for an iPhone or Android phone and is quite fascinating.
Source: App Store, Google Play Store