In an era where startup hustle culture is resurging, and “locked in” tech owners are adopting the “996” work model—9 am to 9 pm, six days a week—it’s intriguing to see an AI app that produces fabricated vacation photos of yourself.
And yet, here we are.
Product designer Laurent Del Rey, who recently joined Meta’s Superintelligence Lab, has launched a creative side project called Endless Summer. This photobooth app for iPhone creates AI-generated vacation images that feature you in diverse global settings. Imagine yourself at a sun-drenched beach, taking in a scenic European view from a balcony, shopping, or enjoying meals with friends.
In these images, no one seems to be stressing about AI developments, entrepreneurship, or the toll of sleepless nights.
Del Rey described his app’s purpose on X, stating it’s designed for moments “when burnout hits and you need to manifest the soft life you deserve.”
(When reality falls short, why not mimic it?)
Del Rey shared with TechCrunch that his inspiration stemmed from his affection for summer and the lifestyle it embodies: “As the season ends, I wanted to create something that captured that essence. From that feeling, I reverse-engineered the product experience,” he said. “I crafted an Xcode project and began iterating on it, sculpting the code experience, so to speak.”
The resulting interface is straightforward, featuring a small camera preview button at the bottom of the screen. By tapping this button, the app generates an AI-crafted “summer” photo. As you take pictures, they appear in a camera roll-style gallery, showcasing you—an AI-rendered version of you—exploring the world with a look of happiness.
In the background, Gemini’s Nano-Banana image model efficiently generates various versions of your virtual summer escapades.
Del Rey assures users that the app does not save selfies unless they opt-in for its auto-generation mode. Additionally, users can easily delete their accounts with just two taps, completely removing their data.
While Nano-Banana isn’t free, it remains affordable. Users can’t generate an endless stream of photos on the free tier; after the first six images, you’ll encounter a paywall, with payment options presented even earlier.
For those curious to experiment with personalized AI imagery—perhaps compensating for a missed summer getaway—the pricing is relatively reasonable. It costs $3.99 for 30 images, $17.99 for 150, and $34.99 for 300. You also have the option to enable “Room Service” mode, which automatically delivers two photos daily showcasing your latest theoretical adventures. You can select your gender or allow the app to guess, and you can toggle the option to save AI-generated images directly to your iPhone’s Camera Roll.
In a recent update, the app introduced the capability to generate Halloween-themed photos featuring you in various costumes.
The photos exude a vintage film aesthetic, lending them a casual charm reminiscent of the lifestyle pics they’re designed to replicate. This nostalgic touch evokes a vibe akin to that of the mid-2000s.
Such trends also mirror modern tendencies around online photo sharing. From Gen Z’s love for disposable cameras to the emergence of unrefined Instagram photo dumps, many seek a less curated, more “authentic” depiction of life.
Isn’t it fascinating that AI is now the vehicle for this longing?
