Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU), the leading Chinese language Internet search provider, today announced the launch of HAHAmoji, a new smartphone app that leverages the company’s facial recognition AI technology to add emoji-like expressions and animations to people’s photos.

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HAHAmoji uses Baidu's AI technology to add expressions to photos (Photo: Business Wire)

HAHAmoji uses Baidu's AI technology to add expressions to photos (Photo: Business Wire)

HAHAmoji makes use of Baidu’s Deep Image 2 technology to identify people’s faces in photos, and then animates them with cute expressions. The app uses Metal, Liquify and OpenGL to add animations to images. Users can save their favorite animations as GIF files on their phone or share them directly with friends on Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, LINE and other social platforms.

“Using facial recognition technology for fun helps demystify AI by letting more people experience it and play with it,” said Mr. Jiang Feng, product manager of HAHAmoji. “HAHAmoji is all about having fun with friends, challenging them to see who can make the funniest emojis – and also pranking them with selfies.”

HAHAmoji currently supports seven different facial animations, with more to be added on a regular basis. At time of launch, the app supports the following animations:

  • Extreme anger
  • Sly smile
  • Nose-picking
  • Mad as hell
  • Joy and sorrow
  • Epic face slap
  • Cutie cheek pinch

HAHAmoji is the most recent of Baidu’s international products to incorporate the company’s own AI technology. Previously, Baidu’s popular Japanese keyboard app Simeji added AI-powered speech recognition to allow users to dictate their chats instead of typing.

For more information and to download HAHAmoji for free, visit the product page on the Apple App Store.

About Baidu

Baidu, Inc. is the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. Baidu aims to make a complicated world simpler for users and enterprises through technology. Baidu’s ADSs trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “BIDU”. Currently, ten ADSs represent one Class A ordinary share.