Artisse, one among the various AI photo creation apps that permit users generate photos of themselves using uploaded selfies combined with prompts, has raised $6.7 million in seed funding, following AI selfies’ viral moment. Much like others in the marketplace, Artisse users upload photos of themselves to coach its AI on their images, then use a text or image prompt to generate recent photos of themselves across various settings, postures, and styles. But unlike the competition, Artisse is concentrated on making its images more photo-realistic, so that they could stand in for skilled photography if required.
Under the hood, Artisse is using its own propriety model, alongside best practices and elements from open source models and tools. Due to hyper-realistic images the app produces, Artisse became a top photo 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 downloaded over 200,000 times thus far, and its images reached an estimated 43 million people across social media, the corporate claims. To this point, users have created over 5 million photos, its website notes.
Image Credits: Artisse
Originally bootstrapped, Artisse was founded by William Wu, who previously worked in investment and strategy with roles at McKinsey & Co. and Oaktree Capital. The founder told TechCrunch back in September that he was inspired to construct an AI app after seeing how many individuals had “perfect” photos uploaded to their Instagram or dating profiles. Nonetheless, he realized that to have those results, you’d need time and expertise with personal photography. His idea was to make that very same sort of photography more accessible to anyone with a smartphone
Training Artisse due to this fact takes longer than competitors — around 30 to 40 minutes, though the AI images take minutes to supply. Wu said this technique allows it to supply more realistic images than some others in the marketplace, in consequence.
That is what Wu hopes shall be Artisse’s differentiating feature.
“Midjourny clearly does well on the subject of landscapes and design work, but on the subject of people — the strategy to give it some thought, is there’s quite a lot of various factors and it is advisable to construct individual training sets for every of those aspects.”
Meaning Artisse’s model takes into consideration aspects like race, facial structures, skin color, lighting, camera type, camera angle, the way in which the body is shot, the scenery, and more.
Plus, adds Wu, “There’s an incredible amount of labor that’s required when it comes to data collection, data tagging, knowing what makes a superb camera photo versus not.”
Artisse’s AI was trained on public domain photography, Wu notes.
“Numerous this isn’t about volume, it’s actually lots in regards to the quality of the image,” he says.
Like many apps on this space, Artisse has to beat struggles in areas like the range of body shapes and skin tones, especially if users upload a reference photo where the person within the image is thinner. One other viral app Remini faced complaints on this area from women who said the app made them skinnier or with larger chests.
Artisse goals to face out from apps like Remini and Lensa by producing photos that may very well be utilized in real life.
Nonetheless, the startup’s AI model is flexible enough that users could do things with their photos that wouldn’t be appropriate, like changing their race, for instance.
But Wu says he’s not encouraging that nor is that this how persons are generally using the product.
Image Credits: Artisse
As an alternative, Artisse’s users are likely to leverage the app to post photos of themselves on social media — particularly those they wouldn’t have the opportunity to capture otherwise — like shots where they’re posed next to a elaborate automotive or wearing some high-fashion look. Models and influencers are amongst Artisse’s early adopters together with some businesses using AI photography for his or her ads.
The app initially monetized by offering 25 photos without spending a dime, then charging around 20 cents per photo afterward. That attracted an informal audience who dabbled with the tech — Artisse said around 60-70% of users have been “light” users who check out the app one time. Of the 200K downloads, around 4,000 have converted to subscribers, which is the app’s recent monetization model.
There are currently three tiers, priced at $7, $15, and $40 per thirty days, where you receive anywhere from 25 to 370 photos.
Artisse claims to have tripled revenue to $1 million ARR in December 2023 and is on course to $2.5 million ARR as of this month.
“Revenue is growing pretty fast, payback period is comparatively low,” Wu notes. “I see AI photography as a brand new category that must be probably of the same size, if not larger 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 firms with several consumer businesses of their portfolio.
The investment, which was inbound, made sense since the fund has an influencer marketing arm and will help with marketing the app, Wu explains. The round remains to be open to others.
Going forward, the 22-person team is trying to leverage its AI tech in other ways beyond consumer photos. It’s currently exploring virtual fitting room tech for online shopping, where you’ll be able to model clothes on yourself in several suits and poses, in addition to a bunch photo feature that might sooner or later allow you to “pose” with a friend and even celebrity you’re a fan of (with permission). Shopping from AI photos and turning them into physical prints are other ideas being explored.
