Lensa’s AI recognition has had a notable affect on the App Retailer’s Prime Charts. The favored picture and video modifying app recently went viral over its new “magic avatars” feature, powered by the open supply Stable Diffusion mannequin, permitting customers to show their selfies into styled portraits of themselves as sci-fi, anime, or fantasy characters, amongst different creative renderings. Client demand for the app, and for AI edits extra broadly, has now pushed quite a few different “AI” apps into the U.S. App Retailer’s Prime Charts. As of Monday, the highest three spots on the U.S. App Retailer at the moment are all held by AI picture editors, and much more AI artwork apps are newly rating within the Prime 100.
The No. 1 spot on the U.S. App Retailer, nevertheless, continues to be held by Lensa AI, which has seen 12.6 million international installs within the first 11 days of December, up 600% from the 1.8 million installs it noticed throughout an identical time-frame in November (Nov. 20 by means of Nov. 30), in response to new information from app retailer intelligence agency Sensor Tower. The U.S. accounted for 3.6 million of these new December installs, estimates point out.
In truth, 8 out of the highest 100 apps by downloads on the U.S. App Retailer had been AI artwork apps in the course of the time Dec. 1 by means of Dec. 11 time-frame, the agency’s evaluation discovered.
Following Lensa AI, the generic-sounding app AI Art: AI Image Generator had keyword-stuffed its app’s identify to rank in second place, promising AI avatars and AI artwork from textual content. Dawn – AI Avatars is within the No. 3 place, providing AI avatars that may be modified with a textual content immediate. (As of the time of writing on Dec. 12, the 2 apps seem to now have swapped locations.)
AI Artwork has seen round 1.7 million international installs throughout Dec. 1-11, up 229% from the 71,000 it noticed throughout Nov. 20-30. In the meantime, Daybreak additionally noticed round 1.7 million installs, Sensor Tower mentioned, up from the 28,000 it noticed within the late November time-frame.
These are shortly adopted by Wonder – AI Art Generator at No. 10, which additionally presents AI avatars and AI artwork from textual content prompts.
Though Marvel ranks decrease within the U.S., it has seen round 4 million international installs to this point in December, up from the prior interval of Nov. 20-30, when it noticed 469,000 installs.
Not an excessive amount of farther down the Prime Charts, you’ll additionally discover Prequel: Aesthetic AI Editor at slot No. 14. The app has seen 907,000 international installs this month to this point, up from the 319,000 seen November 20 by means of 30.
The Prime 50 additionally consists of the newer app Voi – AI Avatar App by Marvel at No. 39. This occurs to be from the identical developer behind the No. 10 app Marvel however has an terrible 1.6-star score over its value subscription mannequin and damaged options, in response to offended buyer critiques. Launched solely on Dec. 7, Voi has already gained 785,000 installs, of which 241,000 had been U.S.-based. Clearly benefitting from the pattern, the app’s developer truly now has three apps that reference “AI” of their titles, together with the lesser-ranked Pixelup – AI Picture Enhancer.
One other AI app, Meitu – Photo Editor & AI Art has moved into No. 47 on the U.S. App Retailer after gaining 6.4 million installs in December to this point, up from the 1.1 million seen throughout Nov. 20-30.
Along with extremely rating general amongst iPhone apps, the U.S. App Retailer’s Graphics & Design class can also be now stuffed with AI artwork apps inside its personal Prime Charts.
Right here, Daybreak is the No. 1 Prime Free app, adopted by AI Artwork and Marvel to spherical out the highest 3. Profile AI: AI Avatar Creator, Encourage – AI Artwork Generator, and Dream by Wombo – AI Artwork Device are ranked 8, 9, and 10, respectively. Lesser recognized apps pop up as you scroll down the class’s Prime 50 as nicely, submitting slots No. 14, 19, 21, 25, 27, 31, 36, 44, and 47 — too many to listing. All use the key phrase “AI” of their app’s identify alongside and reference actions like “AI artwork” or “AI avatars.”
And naturally, the U.S. Picture & Video class’s Prime Charts have a number of AI apps as nicely, together with No. 1 Lensa, No. 5 Prequel, No. 7 Voi, No. 8 Meitu, and No. 26 FacePlay.
AI app demand isn’t restricted to the App Retailer, nevertheless. Lots of the identical apps are trending on Google Play, too. When each app shops’ rankings are mixed, Lensa AI stays No. 1, AI Artwork is No. 2, Marvel is No. 8, Meitu is No. 10, Prequel is No. 68, Daybreak is No. 72, Dream is No. 77 and FacePlay is No. 90.
Dream gained 782,000 new international installs in December to this point, whereas FacePlay gained 2.8 million, Sensor Tower discovered.
Whereas it’s widespread for app makers to congregate round a pattern by updating their app’s identify and outline, or by bidding on key phrases in Apple’s App Retailer Search adverts, it’s outstanding simply what number of “AI” apps have now made it to the Prime Charts within the wake of Lensa’s success. This indicators one thing greater than a flash-in-the-pan pattern, as the overall dialog nowadays is round how a lot AI has been bettering — in different areas, individuals are marveling on the leap of the AI tech ChatGPT.
That mentioned, we should always observe that simply because an app is advertising and marketing itself as AI-powered, it doesn’t essentially imply it’s utilizing the identical Steady Diffusion mannequin Lensa is. Not that buyers appear to care– they appear glad to strive virtually any app labeling itself AI in the intervening time, so long as it delivers fascinating and inventive outcomes.
After all, there are considerations over this particular AI use case. Already, Steady Diffusion has turn into controversial for the way in which its mannequin was skilled by using images from artists without their consent. Lensa was additionally in a position to be tricked into making NSFW images, TechCrunch discovered. And immediately, MIT Technology Review reported that Lensa created topless photographs and skimpy and sexualized avatars when tried by one feminine reporter, who occurred to be of Asian heritage — suggesting the AI had been influenced by an overabundance of anime and video characters.
It’s clear the tech has an extended method to go to be moral and accountable. However these considerations, in the intervening time, aren’t dampening shopper curiosity on this rising class.
