(Yicai Global) July 25 -- Miaoya Camera, a mini-program of video platform Youku that helps users create avatars, is trending on Chinese social media with hundreds of people lining up to play with low-cost artificial intelligence.

Netizens are talking about the new AI-generated content tool that allows users to upload multiple profile photos for CNY9.9 (USD1.40) to get different iterations of avatars dressed in ancient styles or resembling characters of movies or television series. The product was launched on July 17 after beta testing began on June 30.

Although Youku has not revealed any user statistics of the novel product, this week, a user named Li Lan said she had to wait for an hour and 45 minutes to make AI-powered images as almost 400 people were in front of her in line.

The product owner has urgently tightened its privacy policy as on July 20 Miaoya Camera updated its user agreement to say that uploaded user photos will not be used for identification or other purposes and they will be automatically deleted after the avatar is ready. Before this, the policy allowed the operator to use the photos freely.

Editor: Emmi Laine