Amazon has launched a new generative artificial intelligence tool to produce images that could eventually help brands to create lifestyle imagery to improve advertising campaigns and create engaging content.
Still in its beta phase, the new solution aims to help businesses of all sizes, especially those that do not have in-house capabilities or agency support to produce brand-themed imagery.
“All sellers or brands need to do is upload a product photo and description to quickly create unique lifestyle images that will help customers discover products they love,” Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief executive, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Amazon said advertising products in a lifestyle setting can lead to almost 40 per cent higher click-through rates.
Over the past few years, AI has led to major advances in the efficiency of digital advertising. However, in a March survey, Amazon found that among those advertisers that were unable to build successful campaigns, nearly 75 per cent cited building advertising creatives and choosing a creative format as their biggest challenges.
The company has offered use of its new image generation tool to select advertisers and will expand its availability in the coming months. Amazon said it will improve the tool based on customer feedback.
“Producing engaging and differentiated creatives can increase cost and often requires introducing additional expertise into the advertising process,” said Colleen Aubrey, senior vice president of Amazon advertisement products and technology.
“Providing tools to make image generation simple and easy is another way for us to support advertisers while also making the ads our customers see more engaging and visually rich … it’s a perfect use for generative AI – less effort and better outcomes,” said Ms Aubrey.
Amazon is focused on using generative AI to improve its offerings, Mr Jassy said in July.
“It is going to be at the heart of what we do. It is a significant investment and focus for us,” he said that time.
Last month, it announced to invest $4 billion in US AI start-up and ChatGPT rival Anthropic as it seeks to strengthen its position in the technology, which is booming around the globe.
How does it work?
Advertisers will select their product and click “generate”, with the tool leveraging generative AI to deliver a set of brand-themed lifestyle images based on product details in few seconds.
The image can then be refined by entering short text prompts, while a number of versions can be quickly created and tested to optimise performance, Amazon said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
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End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
more from Janine di Giovanni
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
