TikTok, the popular social media platform is just getting better, but hilariously, at least initially.
The platform has been known for its extensive use of algorithms to show what it thinks is the best for users, by suggesting different contents that it finds appealing to different people. And this time, it's adding another algorithm to its arsenal, and that is an AI capable of generating image from text input.
Researchers have been busy developing new and more advanced AIs, and the people at OpenAI have managed to create what's called the 'DALL·E.'
What it does, is taking image-generation AI to a whole new level.
TikTok seems to be interested in this technology.
And this is why it's introducing one of its own.
Read: With 'DALL·E', OpenAI Wants To Create The 'GPT' For Images
The technology TikTok introduces, allows users to type in a prompt, to then receive an image that can be used as the background of their videos.
The effect is called "AI greenscreen," and that it can be accessed via the short-form video app’s camera screen.
TikTok's text-to-image AI-powered generator is very similar to OpenAI's DALL·E, or Google's Imagen, but minus their impressive capabilities, at least initially.
What the AI generator is capable of producing, is quite basic.
When the more notable AIs can create realistic photorealistic imagery with outstanding imagination, TikTok’s AI model can only produce abstract imagery.
TikTok may have introduced limitations to the AI model to ensure that the content it creates adhere to the app’s community guidelines, and that it will not derail TikTok from a content-first, short-form video social platform.
This can also prevent its mostly youngsters and minor users from generating nudity or violent imagery.
TikTok may have opted for an abstract model to avoid such issues.
Users who try to create such imagery using the AI, would get an abstract images of what they want, with no gore of nudity whatsoever.
In a business perspective, TikTok seems to be positioning the AI as a fun way to create backgrounds, while at the same time, becoming a useful tool for content creators.
Given that DALL·E, DALL·E 2 and Imagen aren’t widely available yet, TikTok’s AI-powered effect offers an alternative for users who are looking to have a little fun with text-to-image AI generators.
With the feature, users can have fun and experience by using different keywords.
To help users use the feature, TikTok will suggest random words users can check to see the effect.
Examples include "Snorkeling in a purple ocean," "Hidden village in the mountains," and "Erupting rainbow volcano."
While TikTok is introducing the AI with limitations, intentionally or not, but this shows that the company is not going to stop from introducing more ways to keep users active.
The more users use TikTok, the longer they stay on the app, the less they will use other apps.
In the social media industry, the milestone for success is the number of active users. Meta, the largest social media company that owns Facebook and Instagram, remains the biggest of them all, and it still envies TikTok because of its high engagement.