Oh, Artificial Intelligence, how would we manage without you? You’re in every smartphone and app, it sometimes seems. Now, WhatsApp, which has used machine learning and Ai for some time, has introduced a new feature which will use AI for photo editing.
The new addition was first reported—as it so often is with WhatsApp developments—by WABetaInfoand it’s coming soon to all users, though is only under development just now.
With AI in photo editing, it’ll be possible to add artistic effects to photos, for instance changing the background in images. There will also be a restyle tool which will “ will provide users with a tool to transform the style of their photos, giving them a fresh and artistic look. Furthermore, the “expand” feature will allow users to enlarge the entire image, providing them with the ability to adjust the size of their photos as needed,” in the words of the report.
A trio of stars has become the recognized symbol for AI, and that’s what is seen in the new beta version of the app.
The new suggestion is that this new feature will, like all innovations, be available free to users, thus, as WABetaInfo has it, “providing users with innovative and customizable features to further enhancing their messaging and sharing experiences.”
New features come frequently on WhatsApp, as a way of cementing engagement from regular users looking for something new, and enticing new users to get on board.
While there’s always a little trepidation surrounding AI manipulation of images, the thought of touching up pictures easily so they can be shared more quickly, seems harmless enough and means WhatsApp messages could deliver images with a better look to them with the minimum of effort.
If it easily allows users to improve image quality with so little work that most people will be tempted to use it, I’m all for it.
As with all beta features, it’s not known when exactly they will become widely available. Check back for more information as we get it.
