WhatsApp Apple is reportedly preparing to launch a new generative AI feature that will allow users to create new images similar to Apple's Image Playground. The feature will allow users to create their own AI avatar.
It is said thatMeta Meta's WhatsApp is working on a feature that will allow users to make their own personalized avatars in any imaginable setting. By uploading a series of photos, WhatsApp users will be able to train Meta's AI to create realistic digital renderings in their likeness. However, early screenshots of the update bear a striking resemblance to a similar "Image Playground" tool that Apple announced last month.
First spotted by WABetaInfo, the update is hidden in a new beta version of WhatsApp and may be released as part of a software update later this year. Screenshots of the beta feature instruct users to "take a photo of yourself once, then imagine yourself in any environment, from a forest to outer space." The sample images included in the screenshots show a female avatar with a variety of different aesthetic styles and backgrounds. It is believed that users will be able to set it as a profile photo on WhatsApp and even send it to friends.
To use the feature, WhatsApp users will need to upload at least one photo of themselves. 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 pictures will be used to train the Llama generative AI model responsible for creating these images. Once the picture is uploaded, users only need to type “Imagine me...” in the Meta AI chatbot within the app and add the description they want to be generated.
While users must upload an image to use the feature, WABetaInfo also reports that reference images can be removed at any time through the Meta AI settings. The feature is also completely optional, and users will need to manually activate the AI option to use it. It is currently in the testing phase and has not yet been fully developed, and Meta has not yet set a date for the full launch. Meta AI is currently only available to a small number of users in the United States, but is expected to be rolled out to a wider range later this year.
Similar to other AI image generators, such as Lensa AI or Snapchat's "Dream" feature, Meta's new feature appears to use a combination of user-generated images and text prompts. However, the most striking similarity is to an AI image generation feature called Image Playground that Apple revealed at WWDC. The feature is expected to be released as part of Apple's smart features in iOS18, allowing users to create AI avatars using photos of real people.