You’ve probably seen it if you’ve scrolled through Instagram lately. Portrait photos of friends and acquaintances, illustrated as beautiful avatars. The images originate from the app Lensa, which uses artificial intelligence to transform you. It is at the top of the list of most downloads in Norway. But you should think carefully before jumping on the trend. Technology expert Hans-Petter Nygård-Hansen believes many people give up their photos without thinking about what might happen if they end up astray. AVATAR: Images like this have been frequently shared on social media recently. Illustration: SCREEN/LENSA AI/news Warns against image sharing It’s no wonder the app has taken off, says the technology expert. – You get a lot of really cool photos that make you think you look like a movie star or a really cool animated character, he says. WARNING: Nygård-Hansen warns against sharing information about yourself without understanding what it is used for. Photo: Hans-Petter Nygård-Hansen Social media has played a major role in the app’s popularity. Nygård-Hansen believes that the pictures trigger “FOMO” in many people – that you don’t want to be the last to make such pictures. – Then you have to get around, download the app and pay the kroner it costs for a monthly or annual subscription. When you first download the app, you can pay NOK 499 for an annual subscription, or start a free one-week trial period. However, using the “Magic Avatars” function, which creates the animated images, is not free. Each time you want to generate new images, you have three options: Pay NOK 65 for 50 cars in five different categories, NOK 85 for 100 images in ten categories or NOK 129 for 200 images in ten categories. All you need to do after that is upload 10-12 photos of yourself in different angles and positions. Once you’ve uploaded pictures of yourself, the app gives you different illustrations back. These are divided into categories such as “Cosmic”… Illustration: Screenshot/LENSA AI/news “Fantasy”… Illustration: Screenshot/Lensa AI/news “Pop”… Illustration: SCREEN/LENSA AI/news and “Fairy Princess”. Illustration: SCREEN/LENSA AI/news According to the app’s privacy statement, these images will be deleted from the company’s database within 24 hours. Nygård-Hansen says that it is basically safe to use the app, but he still warns against giving away so many photos of yourself. New apps may appear that create even cooler photos. Nygård-Hansen fears that people will download them without reading the terms of use – and suddenly have given up a lot of information about themselves to a service that should not have been done. – In the long term, there is a big risk that your identity will not only be stolen, but used for things you have absolutely no control over. COST: Generating images in the app is not free. Illustration: Screenshot/Lensa AI/news – Difficult to distinguish According to the technology expert, technology has become so good that it is almost impossible to distinguish between what is the real version of you and what is AI-generated. In the wrong hands, the 10-12 innocent photos one uploads can be used to generate fake nudes. Nygård-Hansen believes that Norwegians, as one of the world’s most gullible, connected and prosperous peoples, will be very vulnerable to the misuse of such technology. – If the images you provide go astray, and a nude version is made, ransomware viruses could be used violently. We must not ignore the fact that it is already a reality in 2023, says the expert. He encourages everyone to be more skeptical about what they download, and not least who they give data about themselves to. Parents asked to accompany According to Lensa’s terms of use, you must be at least 13 years old to use the app. Director of the Norwegian Media Authority Mari Velsand believes that apps where you can change the appearance of images can create challenges in terms of self-image and identity, especially for children and young people. – Therefore, the age limit is not necessarily a good guide to know whether the app is suitable for the children, says Velsand. RECOMMEND: Velsand recommends parents take a closer look at the apps their children want to use. Photo: Mathias Fossum / The Norwegian Media Authority The Norwegian Media Authority generally recommends that parents familiarize themselves with the apps their children want to use. Both to protect the children’s personal data and to protect against potentially harmful content. In addition, they encourage talking to the children about the challenges they may face and how they can be handled from a young age. – Then it will also be easier to speak up if you experience something frightening or unpleasant online, says Velsand. news has tried to get in touch with Prisma Labs, which owns the app Lensa. They have not responded to our inquiries.
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The app Lensa AI has taken off on social media, but experts warn – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
