After the Nano Banana image trend, a new AI-powered sensation is making waves on social media: the “AI snow scene” effect from the Chinese app Meitu. This feature has rapidly gone viral, allowing users to transform their selfies into dreamy, snow-dusted portraits that look strikingly realistic. With a simple upload, the app creates highly stylized images with enhanced facial features and picturesque, snow-covered backgrounds.
The timing of this trend is no coincidence. The app's developers strategically launched the snow scene effect just as winter began in the Northern Hemisphere, tapping into the collective desire for seasonal, winter-themed visuals.
To create a snow scene image with Meitu, users follow a simple process:
- Download and open the Meitu app.
- Access the AI snow effect.
- Upload a photo.
- Let the AI work its magic.
- Save and share the final creation.
While the app offers a three-day free trial, users will need a paid subscription to continue using the feature after the trial period.
The viral nature of this trend highlights a larger shift in digital creation, where AI is transforming the process of image generation. What once required skillful artistry is now available as an on-demand service, largely driven by viral social media phenomena like TikTok and Instagram. Meitu’s snow effect is a prime example of this new wave of algorithmic creativity, where selfies are effortlessly transformed into snow-covered masterpieces with an airbrushed finish.
Despite its current popularity, analysts predict that the snow photo trend may be short-lived. Its rapid rise is fueled by the fear of missing out (FOMO) and a desire to participate in a viral moment, with users seeking instant social approval through the convenience of AI-generated content. The trend is also part of a broader shift towards text-to-image tools, such as Midjourney and DALL-E, which are replacing manual creative processes with AI-driven solutions.
While this democratization of creativity offers new opportunities for digital expression, it comes with a downside. As AI makes it easier to achieve “perfect” results, traditional artistic skills like composition, lighting, and editing are becoming less prioritized. Artists now find themselves at a crossroads, where AI can either complement their work or risk replacing the need for manual creativity altogether.
In the future, creative expression may not be about AI replacing artists but about how those who embrace the technology use it as a tool to enhance their own vision and skills.
