AI startup Hugging Face has launched a brand new app for iOS that solely does one factor: makes use of offline, native AI to explain what’s in view of your iPhone’s digicam.
The app, known as HuggingSnap, faucets Hugging Face’s in-house imaginative and prescient mannequin, smolvlm2, to investigate what your cellphone sees in real-time with out sending information off to the cloud. Level your digicam and ask a query or request an outline, and HuggingSnap will establish objects, clarify scenes, learn textual content, and usually attempt to make sense of what you’re taking a look at.
The idea definitely isn’t novel. Many AI-powered apps — and Apple’s personal Apple Intelligence suite of AI-powered options — can accomplish the identical. However as Hugging Face notes in HuggingSnap’s App Retailer description, HuggingSnap works offline, is energy-efficient, and processes all information in your cellphone.
“It’s useful when purchasing, touring, learning, or simply exploring your environment,” the corporate writes. “HuggingSnap brings good imaginative and prescient AI to your iPhone.”
HuggingSnap requires iOS 18 or later. It’s additionally suitable with macOS gadgets and the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, must you want to apply it to a laptop computer or headset as a substitute.
