One other week, one other AI app going viral. This time round, the AI app that has surged to the highest of the App Retailer is EPIK, a photo-editing app that lets customers generate nostalgic, 90s-inspired “yearbook” photographs of themselves as one among its many templates. Just like different lately in style AI apps, EPIK works by having customers first add a collection of selfies which EPIK then makes use of to generate the throwback yearbook photographs that includes the person in several poses, with totally different seems to be and hairstyles.
The app hails from South Korea-based Snow Corporation, a Naver subsidiary, which additionally makes the AI profile app Snow. In latest weeks, EPIK has gained traction on the App Retailer as influencers from all over the world started sharing their AI-generated photographs throughout social media.
On the U.S. App Retailer, EPIK is now No. 1, although it’s not fairly as in style on Google Play at No. 37.
Picture Credit: EPIK
In accordance with information from market intelligence agency Apptopia, EPIK has seen a complete of 92.3 million lifetime installs since its August 2021 debut, together with 4.7 million downloads within the U.S. Nevertheless, the app began to achieve traction on September 19 after which popped much more 10 days later, the agency says.
Presently, EPIK’s largest market is India, by downloads, and the U.S. is No. 6.
One other agency, data.ai, sees barely decrease lifetime downloads at 82 million and notes the app has generated near $7 million in client spending on iOS. That is the primary time it’s ever ranked in Prime General apps within the U.S., information.ai additionally notes.
Snow Corp. didn’t return a request for remark to confirm these figures.
Scrolling the #epik hashtag on Instagram reveals quite a few bigger accounts have been becoming a member of within the pattern of posting their AI yearbook photographs, together with magnificence influencers like Samantha Batallanos (254,000 followers) and Bretman Rock (18.8 million followers), actor and rapper Tim Chantarangsu (1.5 million followers), trend mannequin Eva Mikulski (481,000 followers), video creators like Denyzee (526,000 followers), Missou (507,000 followers), Romy (1.5 million followers), Liz Rangel (1.5 million followers) and Hila Klein (1 million followers), Twitch streamer Pokimane (6 million followers) and lots of others — together with influencers from the app’s dwelling nation and elsewhere on the planet.
Picture Credit: Pokimane on Instagram
To make use of EPIK’s Yearbook function, customers add eight-12 selfie pictures that are then used to create the AI photographs.
The app warns customers that EPIK’s AI is continually studying to enhance its outcomes and never all of the AI outcomes will likely be “passable.” In the event you proceed, it says, “you’ll be deemed to have agreed to the end result,” the message states.
The app additionally means that customers submit clear photographs with a various vary of expressions, angles and backgrounds. After the app processes the photographs it outputs 60 totally different pictures. Whereas the app itself is a free obtain, customers do should pay for the AI output. They will additionally select to pay to have the pictures generated extra rapidly — normal supply ($3.99) has wait occasions of as much as 24 hours, whereas specific supply ($5.99) affords photographs in lower than two hours.
Picture Credit: EPIK
Sadly for EPIK, the app has grow to be so in style it could’t sustain with demand. In the event you attempt to use the Yearbook function now, the app could say it’s being delayed “as we’re experiencing a fast improve in customers utilizing the service. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please strive once more later.” Even in the event you get by way of the selfie add course of, the app could inform you the supply choices are “bought out” and to strive once more later.
Picture Credit: EPIK
EPIK is just not the primary AI picture app to go viral for a intelligent function that generates outsized consideration. It follows different viral hits like Lensa, which supplied AI-generated “magic avatars” and Remini, which hit the highest of the App Retailer this summer season for its professional-looking AI headshots. However most of the AI picture apps aren’t capable of keep traction after their quarter-hour of fame wears off. A report from Apptopia launched earlier this 12 months discovered that the preliminary group of AI picture editors that started taking off final winter had already misplaced client curiosity.
For EPIK, meaning its latest excessive standing could in the end be one other flash within the pan as customers transfer on to the subsequent AI pattern.