WhatsApp is reportedly preparing to launch a new generative AI feature that allows users to create new images similar to Apple's Image Playground. This feature will enable users to create their own AI avatars within the popular messaging app.
It is said that WhatsApp, under the Meta umbrella, is developing a feature that allows users to create personalized avatars in any imagined environment. By uploading a series of photos, WhatsApp users will be able to train Meta's AI to create realistic digital renderings in their images. However, early update screenshots show a striking similarity to the similar "Image Playground" tool announced by Apple last month.
First discovered by WABetaInfo, this update is hidden in WhatsApp's new beta version and may be released as part of a software update later this year. Screenshots of the beta feature guide users to "take a picture of yourself and imagine how you would look in any environment from forests to outer space." The example images included in the screenshot show a female avatar with various aesthetic styles and backgrounds. It is believed that users will be able to set this as their WhatsApp profile picture and even send it to friends.
With this feature, WhatsApp users need to upload at least one of their own photos. Users can access Meta's AI service by typing "@Meta AI" in a special chat or writing "@Meta AI imagine me..." in any conversation. These images will be used to train the Llama generative AI model responsible for creating these images. Once the photos are uploaded, users simply need to type "Imagine me..." into the Meta AI chatbot within the app and add the description they want to generate.
Although users must upload photos to use this feature, WABetaInfo also reports that reference images can be deleted through Meta AI settings at any time. The feature is completely optional, and users need to manually activate the AI option to use it. It is currently in the testing phase and not fully developed, and Meta has not yet determined a full launch date. Meta AI is currently available to a few users in the United States but is expected to be expanded to a wider range later this year.
Similar to other AI image generators like Lensa AI or Snapchat's "Dream" feature, Meta's new feature seems to use a combination of user-generated images and text prompts. However, the most striking similarity is to Apple's AI image generation feature called Image Playground, revealed at WWDC. This feature is expected to be released as part of iOS18 and will allow users to create AI avatars using real-person photos.
Key Points:
📌 WhatsApp is developing a generative AI feature that lets users create their own digital rendered avatars.
📌 Users need to upload their own photos to train Meta's AI and then generate descriptions within the app's chat.
📌 Similar to Apple's Image Playground, WhatsApp's new feature also allows users to create AI avatars using real photos.