The artificial intelligence (AI) photo editing app trend, which was witnessed with the popularity of Lensa AI last year, may already be over.
According to TechCrunch, data from app intelligence firm Apptopia indicates consumer interest in AI photo apps has fallen as quickly as it ascended in late 2022.
The data intelligence app examined leading AI photo editing apps, analyzing and recording both their download growth and in-app consumer spending.
The photo apps analyzed in Apptopia’s research included Lensa, Prequel, Facetune, Remini, Pixelup, Fotor, Wonder, FacePlay, Aiby, FaceApp, Gradient, Dawn AI, Voilà AI Artist, New Profile Pic Avatar Maker, and Meitu among others.
TechCrunch reports that Apptopia found that this group of AI photo apps first began to surge in popularity in late November.
Another fad comes and goes. From my newsletter this morning. pic.twitter.com/qRFCuCucxc
— Adam Blacker (@AdamBlacker25) January 27, 2023
The interest in these apps soared around December and they hit their peak in terms of both downloads and in-app purchases.
At their height of dominance, the apps had around 4.3 million daily downloads and around $1.8 million per day in consumer spending via in-app purchases.
Since then, those numbers have fallen significantly. This same group of AI photo apps saw their lowest daily revenue at $370,000 on November 11.
Only a week later on November 19, the apps had the lowest number of daily downloads at 840,000 installs per day.
On Monday, these AI photo editing apps had around 952,000 combined downloads and approximately $507,000 in consumer spending, as the numbers continue to drop.
Photo editing app Lensa soared in popularity to take the number one spot in the U.S. on Apple’s App charts in early December — after its “Magic Avatars” AI selfie generator took social media by storm.
By mid-December, the explosion of interest in Lensa had pushed other AI photo apps into the U.S. App Store’s Top Charts.
On December 13, AI photo editing apps were dominating Apple’s App Store charts in the U.S — with three of the top four positions being held by AI photo editors. And there were further AI art apps that made new appearances in the Top 100.
However, during this time, there were privacy concerns around AI photo apps — after it was revealed that Lensa’s terms and conditions allow it to distribute and use users’ images without any compensation.
