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If you’ve been anywhere on the internet recently, you’ll likely have heard about Lensa AI. The computer-generated drawing app has been sweeping the web over the past few weeks, but it’s also become massively controversial for several reasons. Amid security concerns and debates around copyright, should you use Lensa AI?

The Use of AI Technology

A majority of people that use the internet on a regular basis now have a social media account or two; it’s become such a big part of our lives. From the days of Top 8 friends on MySpace and looking after your pet chick on Bebo to TikTok videos with incredible editing software, social media is something many of us can’t escape – and nor do we want to.

AI has been used across a whole range of industries online, such as security, tech, and online UK casinos, but now it is becoming more and more mainstream, and we’re seeing people want to take advantage of this on various social media platforms. Content creators are always looking at the latest ways to reach their followers and generate interest and interaction in their content, and AI technology is certainly going to be a way to help them do this.

Artwork is another type of content that has consistently proved popular on social media, so it makes sense that someone would combine the two – and that is where Lensa AI was born and continues to prove popular. 

What is Lensa AI and How Does it Work?

Lensa Ai is a mobile app that creates stylized digital portraits based on photographs that the user submits. Users are advised to submit 10-20 photos before paying a fee, and then the AI gets to work. At a glance, the eye-catching images are a bit of harmless fun, but as the app becomes increasingly popular, the controversy surrounding it has grown louder.

How Does Lensa AI Learn?

Lensa AI is trained using a method of machine learning called Stable Diffusion. It works by taking millions of images of digital artwork from the internet from a database called LAION-5B. Images are acquired from Google searches, Pinterest, and even social media sites without the consent of the image owner, and there is no way to opt-out.

Why are Artists Angry?

The popularity of Lensa AI has sparked a debate between artists for multiple reasons. Those who make a living from their art have argued that it threatens their livelihood – a lot of people may choose to pay an AI a few pounds rather than paying an artist a few hundred. While for many, this is a valid concern, others have said that it’s no different to people buying a fake handbag while others buy the real version – there are still people who would be willing to pay an artist for a commission rather than an AI.

The second argument that many artists have brought up is that of consent. Many artists have found their work has been used to train the AI without their knowledge or consent, which prompts the question of whether the AI copies an artist’s work or is inspired by it. Some artists have argued that it’s no different to a human being inspired by famous artists to create their own work – while there are similar elements taken from other artworks, the end result is ultimately unique. However, some users have reported seeing artist signatures on their AI-generated images.

In response, Prisma Labs stated, “The AI learns to recognize connections between images and their descriptions, not the artworks.”

Is the Lensa AI Safe?

One of the other major reasons that people are concerned about the app lies in questions about the app’s safety. The app uses 10-20 images of a model to create what it calls “magic avatars” – the pieces of art you see all over social media. Thousands of people have questioned what the app does with these photos once they’ve been uploaded. When questioned, Prisma Labs, the creator of Lensa AI, said that they delete all images as soon as the creation process is complete. They also do not save any metadata, like where and when the photo is taken, but the terms of use are still a cause for concern. The terms state that the user retains the copyright of their images but grants Prisma a “perpetual, revocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable, sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate or create derivative works.” Basically, you’re agreeing to let Prisma do whatever they like with your images, including selling them to other companies forever.

The app has also been subject to projecting historic ideal beauty standards – some users have complained about their skin being lightened, their bodies being made to look thinner, and some women have even claimed that the app had generated sexualized images without their consent. 

When a reporter for MIT Technology Review tried the app for herself, she received stylized images of herself in underwear, despite not uploading this. 

The Evening Standard released a report on Lensa AI and ultimately decided it was safe to use. However, the app is undoubtedly subject to questionable ethics, which could make users think twice before paying to create their own magic avatars.

The Future of Lensa AI

The truth is that apps like this come and go all the time, so they may not even stick around long enough to be remembered long-term. However, what it does show is that AI technology is starting to carve itself out a space in mainstream media, including social media accounts. We’ve already seen some amazing advances in technology, and this has certainly helped in terms of the popularity of AI technology and its capabilities. What remains to be seen is what apps like Lensa AI and the ones that come next will be able to offer users in terms of AI technology, but there are plenty of people excited to see what that will look like in the future – let’s see what 2023 brings!