TikTok rolls out AI feature for turning photos into videos

ISLAMABAD: TikTok has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that allows users to convert selfies and regular photos into AI-generated videos within the platform’s Stories section.

According to a statement from the company, the new feature — titled AI Alive — is exclusively available in TikTok Stories and requires no technical expertise. It enables users to animate their images with just a single tap.

The feature allows users to enhance their still photos with automatically generated visual elements such as mountains, rivers, clouds or oceans, depending on the image’s context. Previously captured photos can also be selected from the Stories album to generate videos using the AI Alive tool.

Accessing this feature – which TikTok said is part of its efforts to offer users a more creative and immersive experience – is also super easy. The AI Alive icon automatically pops up on the right-side toolbar of the editing screen once a photo is selected.

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Additionally, the tool gives users additional leverage to to edit the AI-generated videos within the app if they are not satisfied with the initial output.

However, all content created through the AI Live tool will be tagged with an AI-generated label, and any downloaded videos will also indicate their AI origin.

AI Alive content will also include C2PA metadata, providing transparency about the origin of the AI-generated prompt used to create the content.

The company said all content will pass through moderation technology to prevent the posting of copied or inappropriate material. A final safety check will also appear before a post is published while users can report any content that violates TikTok’s community guidelines.

Although, TikTok emphasised that the AI Alive tool aims to blend creativity with responsibility by clearly disclosing AI use and maintaining safeguards against misuse, the growing realism of AI-generated content continues to raise questions.

The feature comes amid concerns about the dangers of fake news, misinformation and disinformation fouled by the growing use of AI and synthetic media as evident during the recent India-Pakistan conflict.

During and after the four-day armed conflict, many AI generated content, including videos and images went viral, undermining the facts and changing narratives.