China’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) company, SenseTime launched a touch-up tool, powered by AI for smartphone cameras and live-streaming apps.
The AI camera filter automatically detects distinctive parts of a user’s body and face and enhances their looks without changing the background. According to SenseTime, the feature marks a major step up from existing products in the market that allow users to beautify still pictures of faces and selfies.
At a product launch event held in Beijing, Li Xingye, SenseTime’s Vice-President of Internet and Adverts Business department said, “It’s a convenience feature – for example, imagine you feel like live streaming at 10 pm but want to skip putting on make-up just for that.” Li further added, “The company will seek to embed the touch-up function into the live-streaming apps of major players via fee-paying partnerships.”
Established at the Hong Kong Science Park in 2014, SenseTime is the largest supplier of AI algorithms in the country. SenseTime has serviced over 400 well- known companies and government agencies, including Honda, Qualcomm, China Mobile, UnionPay, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo, and Weibo. Additionally, SenseTime serves various industries including security, finance, smartphones, mobile internet, robotics, and automobile.
SenseTime recently raised $620 million
In May, SenseTime Group raised $620 million in a funding round and maintained its top position as the world’s most valuable AI technology start-up. Till date, SenseTime’s market value is more than $10 billion.
According to a Deloitte report, in recent years, the live-streaming business sector has shown touchy growth in the Chinese market. The live-streaming market is evaluated to be worth US $4.4 billion in 2018 with 456 million viewers. The figures by internet data services provider, QuestMobile indicate that the time spent on short video applications is ascended from 2 to 8.8%, however, the time spent by users on messaging apps has declined from 36 to 30.2 % as compared to the last year’s data.
