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Artisse , one of the many AI photo cosmos apps that let drug user yield photograph of themselves using uploaded selfies combined with prompt , has raised $ 6.7 million in source backing , following AI selfies ’ viral second . Similar to others on the market , Artisse users upload photos of themselves to train its AI on their images , then apply a text or image prompting to generate new photos of themselves across various circumstance , carriage and style . But unlike the competition , Artisse is pore on making its look-alike more exposure - realistic , so they could stand in for professional photography if required .
Under the hood , Artisse is using its own correctitude simulation , alongside best pattern and elements from open germ models and tools . Because of the hyper - realistic images the app produces , Artisse became a top photograph app on the Google Play Store at various times across markets , including the U.S. , U.K. , Japan , South Korea , Canada and Australia .
The app has been download over 200,000 time to date , and its double attain an count on 43 million people across social medium , the company claim . To date , users have created over 5 million photos , its website notes .
Originally bootstrapped , Artisse was founded by William Wu , who previously worked in investment and scheme with roles at McKinsey & Co. and Oaktree Capital . The foundertold TechCrunch back in Septemberthat he was inspired to build an AI app after go through how many people had “ perfect ” photos uploaded to their Instagram or go out profile . However , he realized that to have those results , you ’d involve time and expertise with personal photography . His idea was to make that same type of photography more accessible to anyone with a smartphone .
grooming Artisse therefore takes longer than challenger — around 30 to 40 minute , though the AI images take minutes to produce . Wu say this system allows it to create more realistic images than some others on the market , as a resultant .
This is what Wu hopes will be Artisse ’s differentiating feature .
“ Midjourny clearly does well when it total to landscape and figure work , but when it do to people — the direction to consider about it , is there ’s a spate of dissimilar factors and you need to build up individual education sets for each of those gene . ”
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That means Artisse ’s model take into consideration divisor like raceway , facial social organisation , hide color , inflammation , camera type , camera slant , the room the torso is shot , the scene , and more .
Plus , tally Wu , “ There ’s an incredible amount of employment that ’s required in term of datum collection , data point tagging , knowing what prepare a good tv camera exposure versus not . ”
Artisse ’s AI was trained on public domain photography , Wu notes .
“ A slew of this is not about volume , it ’s actually a lot about the quality of the image , ” he says .
Like many apps in this space , Artisse has to overcome struggles in area like the diverseness of body shapes and skin tones , especially if users upload a reference photo where the person in the image is thinner . Another viral app , Remini , faced complaintsin this area from women who said the app made them skinnier or with larger chests .
Artisse aims to stand out from apps like Remini and Lensa by producing photograph that could be used in real life .
However , the inauguration ’s AI framework is flexible enough that user could do thing with their photos that would n’t be appropriate , like changing their slipstream , for example .
But Wu says he ’s not further that nor is this how people are broadly using the product .
Instead , Artisse ’s users tend to leverage the app to mail photos of themselves on societal medium — particularly those they would n’t be able-bodied to conquer otherwise — like shots where they ’re pose next to a fancy railway car or wearing some in high spirits - manner look . good example and influencers are among Artisse ’s early adopters along with some businesses using AI photography for their ads .
There are currently three tiers , priced at $ 7 , $ 15 , and $ 40 per month , where you receive anywhere from 25 to 370 photo .
Artisse claim to have tripled receipts to $ 1 million ARR in December 2023 and is on track to $ 2.5 million ARR as of this calendar month .
“ Revenue is growing pretty fast , payback period is comparatively low , ” Wu notes . “ I see AI photography as a raw category that should be probably of a similar size , if not big than , photo editing apps , ” he says .
The startup ’s $ 6.7 million seed funding round was led by The London Fund , a firm that makes strategic investments in high - growth companies with several consumer businesses in their portfolio .
The investment funds , which was inbound , made sense because the fund has an influencer marketing arm and could help with marketing the app , Wu explains . The round of golf is still open to others .
Going onwards , the 22 - person squad is looking to leverage its AI technical school in other way beyond consumer photo . It ’s presently exploring practical meet room tech for on-line shopping , where you’re able to model clothes on yourself in unlike fit and poses , as well as a group photo feature that could one daylight countenance you “ pose ” with a acquaintance or even celebrity you ’re a sports fan of ( with permission ) . Shopping from AI picture and turning them into strong-arm print are other ideas being explored .
Artisse ’s AI app is available on bothiOSandAndroid .
Artisse can generate AI photograph of you from prompt , templates or even a reference picture show
Remini top the App Store for its viral ‘ AI headshot ’ but its body edits go too far , some say
