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 in all its many templates. Much like different not too long ago fashionable 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 consumer in numerous poses, with completely different seems 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 fashionable on Google Play at No. 37.
Picture Credit: EPIK
In response to knowledge 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. Nonetheless, the app began to realize 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 shopper spending on iOS. That is the primary time it’s ever ranked in High Total apps within the U.S., knowledge.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 lot of bigger accounts have been becoming a member of within the development 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), vogue 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 residence nation and elsewhere on the earth.
Picture Credit: Pokimane on Instagram
To make use of EPIK’s Yearbook characteristic, customers add eight-12 selfie photographs that are then used to create the AI photographs.
The app warns customers that EPIK’s AI is consistently studying to enhance its outcomes and never all of the AI outcomes shall be “passable.” If you happen to proceed, it says, “you may be deemed to have agreed to the 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 completely different photographs. Whereas the app itself is a free obtain, customers do need to pay for the AI output. They will additionally select to pay to have the photographs generated extra rapidly — normal supply ($3.99) has wait occasions of as much as 24 hours, whereas specific supply ($5.99) presents photographs in lower than two hours.
Picture Credit: EPIK
Sadly for EPIK, the app has turn out to be so fashionable it will possibly’t sustain with demand. If you happen to attempt to use the Yearbook characteristic 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 for those who get by means of the selfie add course of, the app could inform you the supply choices are “offered out” and to strive once more later.
Picture Credit: EPIK
EPIK will not be the primary AI picture app to go viral for a intelligent characteristic that generates outsized consideration. It follows different viral hits like Lensa, which provided AI-generated “magic avatars” and Remini, which hit the highest of the App Retailer this summer time for its professional-looking AI headshots. However lots of the AI picture apps aren’t in a position to preserve traction after their quarter-hour of fame wears off. A report from Apptopia launched earlier this yr discovered that the preliminary group of AI picture editors that started taking off final winter had already misplaced shopper 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 following AI development.