Magic Avatars created by the Lensa AI app are taking social media by storm, and they're super easy to create. Artificial intelligence-based image apps have exploded in popularity this year, with the most notable being OpenAI's DALL-E mini, an AI tool that creates realistic images from text descriptions. But for most people, DALL-E mini will not help them create unique images of themselves. That's because DALL-E mini analyzes images that already exist online, and apart from celebrities, there isn't enough data for DALL-E mini to produce an accurate representation of a specific person.
Luckily, DALL-E mini isn't the only AI-based image generation model available. Some options attempt to replicate DALL-E mini's success, and use text descriptions to produce custom images. Though these smartphone apps do succeed in AI image generation, they are not capable of producing new images of a specific individual. The apps fall short in the same way as DALL-E mini, and work best with well-known topics or descriptions. That is, until Lensa AI's Magic Avatars started making rounds on social media.
Lensa AI started as a photo and video editing app backed by artificial intelligence, but its popularity reached new heights when Magic Avatars went viral on social media. The app, which is available on both iPhone and Android, can analyze a user's selfies in order to create custom Magic Avatars. These images convey a person's image and likeness through a few different cartoonish drawing styles, from anime to cyborg. Though the app is free to download, Magic Avatars require an in-app purchase each time a pack is ordered. Regardless of whether a user has an understanding of graphic design or artificial intelligence, all that's needed to get Magic Avatars is 10-20 selfies.
How To Get The Best Results With Lensa AI
After users download the Lensa AI app from their preferred app store, they'll be greeted with a start page asking them if they would like to subscribe to the 'Unlimited Access' plan. Though the subscription is pricey at $39.99 per year, it's best to select the one-week free trial option. The unlimited access subscription cuts the price of Magic Avatar packs in half, making it the best option — just remember to cancel before the subscription period starts. When ready to start making their Magic Avatars, tap the icon in the top left corner of the screen that looks like an emoji under a star. Then, tap the 'Create New Avatars' button at the bottom of the screen to get started.
Next, it's time to select the photos that will be analyzed in order to create the Magic Avatars. Lensa AI requires between 10 and 20 sample photos that include the same person in selfie and portrait images. These photos should all be of the same person, and depict a variety of backgrounds, facial expressions, and head angles. Tap the 'Select 10-20 Photos' button to open up the photo library, and select the photos that will be used to create the Magic Avatars. Wait for Lensa AI to import the photos, and select a gender.
Then, choose the number of Magic Avatars that will be purchased. Lensa AI sells 50 custom images for $7.99, 100 custom images for $11.99, and 200 custom images for $15.99. With a premium Unlimited subscription, these prices are slashed in half. After choosing the number of images, tap the yellow 'Purchase' button. It'll take a little while for the app to upload the images, and even longer to generate the avatars. Users can close the app and wait to receive a notification when the avatars are ready to view and download. Lensa AI's Magic Avatars aren't free, but they're a fun use of AI at a relatively low cost.
Source: App Store, Play Store