FaceApp: Back to the future

In recent days, many celebrities, but also anonymous people, have had fun transforming their faces with the AI photo editor FaceApp. As a result, social networks are overflowing with photos of old friends with a heavy dose of realism.

Some went so far as to age portraits of celebrities as young people and compare these with their true-age images a few decades later. The result is realistic and the application does indeed appear to show the future!

The trend has grown to such an extent that FaceApp has become the most downloaded photo application on Google Play.

However, the application is not new and dates from 2017. Launched by Russian engineer Yaroslav Goncharov, it employs a small team of about four people based in St. Petersburg.

It offers several successful filters, including the filter for aging, but also the filter that adds a smile to the face. Image retouching is therefore carried out automatically using “automatic learning” software that works via artificial intelligence technologies.

Contrary to what has been disclosed, the application does not upload all your photos without your permission. However, it makes the necessary changes to the selected photos in its cloud environment. The stored photos can be used by the company to develop its automatic retouching software, or to build databases with the faces of its users. These images may even promote FaceApp one day.

So, before traveling through time, think carefully about the future of your photos.

Follow eXo Platform’s board Cartoon of the Week on Pinterest.

Brahim Jaouane

I am a Digital Marketing specialist specialized in SEO at eXo Platform. Passionate about new technologies and Digital Marketing. With 10 years' experience, I support companies in their digital communication strategies and implement the tools necessary for their success. My approach combines the use of different traffic acquisition levers and an optimization of the user experience to convert visitors into customers. After various digital experiences in communication agencies as well as in B2B company, I have a wide range of skills and I am able to manage the digital marketing strategy of small and medium-sized companies.